On Saturday, Espy campaign aide Sam Coleman repeatedly said, “One last question. As journalists posed question after question, Espy answered each one. However, none of the questions were about Espy’s lobbying work for Ivory Coast in civil war 2011, which saw its president being charged with murder, rape, and torture at The Hague. Espy left the room and was questioned on the subject. He stopped and said, “I want your questions answered.” This was the same as Espy’s opponent, Republican U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde Smith, who has repeatedly refused to answer questions regarding her comments about being in the front row at a public hanging, even if asked by a supporter. At a news conference, the day after the comments were made, she stated that the only comment she would make was in the official statement her campaign had released. The Washington Post published a story over the weekend pointing out that Hyde Smith repeatedly dodged questions from Capitol press corps and said, “We’ve already issued a statement.” This sequence highlights the differences between the candidates who will be competing in a runoff election Nov. 27, to replace long-time Senator Thad Cochran who resigned in March due to health reasons. The Espy campaign welcomes questions from the media. Hyde-Smith has grudgingly interacted in the media. This dynamic is just one of many things that makes Tuesday night’s debate between the candidates so fascinating. In a debate sponsored WLBT and Farm Bureau, both candidates will have to answer media questions for one hour. Marty Wiseman, an ex-director of the Stennis Institute of Government at Mississippi State University, stated that Hyde Smith’s comments (including the public hanging statement) and the perception Hyde Smith needs intensive handling by aides made people curious about Tuesday’s debate. Hyde-Smith repeatedly avoided direct questions from Mississippi Today in the months before the big showdown. Hyde-Smith, for example, refused to answer questions at the groundbreaking event for Alternative Energy Development-Copiah. Jordan Russell, Hyde Smith’s campaign manager, physically blocked Hyde Smith from speaking with a Mississippi Today reporter at a Madison public campaign event. Russell told Hyde Smith, “I think that you’ve received plenty of questions.” There were no other reporters present at the event. But I believe you’ve gotten more than any other reporter.” Hyde-Smith was unwilling to answer questions from reporters during the controversial Brett Kavanaugh confirmation hearing. A reporter asked Hyde Smith about her vote for the confirmation process. Hyde Smith replied that she wasn’t ready to comment publicly. However, the press release about Hyde Smith’s vote was sent minutes before the reporter asked her. The release also included her comments that she voted for Kavanaugh because it was “easy.” This is quite a departure from Hyde-Smith’s interactions with media during her time in the Mississippi Senate and her time as state commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce. Gov Phil Bryant appointed her interim senator to replace Cochran. State Sen. Terry Burton said that she was “a fireball.” Terry Burton (R-Newton), was the pro-tem for Hyde-Smith’s three terms in Mississippi. People warned her to not pick a fight against the then-Republican Governor. Haley Barbour was concerned about the issue of eminent Domain in the 2000s. Hyde-Smith supported legislation that would prevent governments taking land from property owners to be used by private entities. Hyde-Smith stated that she wasn’t worried about Barbour’s political fallout and warned her colleagues about the consequences of her opposition to her position protecting property rights. Hyde-Smith said to those who were supporting Barbour that they needed to buy them asbestos underwear. “You’re going need it because somebody’s going to lighten up your rear end,” Hyde-Smith said to Barbour, who won the legislative battle against Hyde Smith. Farm Bureau sponsored an initiative that voters approved to prevent government from taking private land for private purposes. After a heated debate on the floor with Tommy Robertson (R-Moss Point), there was a moment when she claimed that she was lying. She countered that she didn’t lie and that people should be dying Easter eggs if she claimed it was Easter. She criticized members of the Department of Mental Health at one meeting of the state Senate subcommittee for their inordinate spending on staff housing. She will need to draw on this experience during Tuesday’s debate as there will not be any place to hide in front of the television cameras that will broadcast the debate. It seems that her campaign understands this. Espy was answering media questions on Saturday, when Hyde-Smith announced that it would cancel scheduled events to conduct “debate prep.” Larrison Campbell contributed reporting.