She did it on Twitter, retweeting Bryant’s quote from his speech. Bryant wrote, “I think having the U.S. Senate’s first woman from Mississippi is going to be great.” Hyde Smith’s April appointment to the U.S. Senate was historic, but Hyde Smith has avoided this landmark for many months on her campaign trail. She also refused to discuss the fact that she would be making history again if she wins Nov. 6’s special election as the first female Mississippi senator elected. Mississippi Today published a profile last week that Hyde-Smith shared about her strategy. Hyde-Smith stated that it was not an intentional strategy. Hyde-Smith explained more about the significance of her Senate position. “A report last week stated that Hyde-Smith doesn’t tell anyone she is female. You can see that I am a woman. It’s an honor to be a woman. There are so many opportunities. It is not a gender issue. It’s about qualifications. It’s all about who is the best. After her speech on Thursday, Hyde-Smith said that she was elated to hear from women who feel she is an encouragement for women in the state. Hyde-Smith will be running against three other candidates in the Nov. 6 special election. They are a fellow Republican, state Senator Chris McDaniel, and two Democrats Mike Espy, and Tobey Barrtee. With 29 percent of voters supporting him in the October poll, Espy is poised to win in November. Espy was the first African American to be elected to the U.S. House from Mississippi since Reconstruction in 1986. He also became the first African American U.S. agriculture secretary. If he is successful, he will be the first African-American to be elected to the U.S. Senate from Mississippi since Reconstruction. He also would be the first African-American popularly elected in Mississippi. While Espy often mentions this historic moment in speeches, Espy has also stated that he is proud of his position as a historian and would be the first African-American from Mississippi to serve in the U.S. Senate since Reconstruction. He would also be the first African American to be elected to the state legislature. Follow Mississippi Today for the latest coverage of the historic runoff between Cindy Hyde Smith and Mike Espy.