NESHOBA COUNTY FOOD – Cindy Hyde Smith is well-versed in delivering political speeches on the main stage at Founder’s Square. The fair, which hosts livestock shows, pony pulls and 4-H displays, has been home to Mississippi’s agriculture commission for six years. It was a familiar venue for long-time cattle farmer, Cindy Hyde-Smith. Hyde Smith’s appearance at the fair this year was not comfortable. She, for the first-time in her political career, led the week’s speeches. Hyde-Smith was facing a crowd of almost 100 McDaniel supporters, an anti-establishment candidate in the November special elections. She stumbled at times during her speech and walked right into McDaniel’s criticisms that she has been making for months. Hyde Smith said, “I have been an conservative my whole life, and that record is mine,” drawing a long slap from McDaniel supporters who had listened for weeks to Hyde Smith’s criticisms of her conservatism. Hyde-Smith served three terms as a state senator, but was a registered Democrat up until 2010, when she switched to the Democratic Party to run for statewide office. Voting records indicate that Hyde Smith voted in the Democratic presidential primaries in 2008, in which frontrunners Barack Obama were present. McDaniel stated in a July press release that Cindy Hyde-Smith wanted us to forget she was a lifetime Democrat. She was a Democrat under the Reagan administration. She was a Democrat in 1994 during the Republican Revolution. When the Tea Party mobilized millions of voters, she was a Democrat. “She voted for Democrats up to the point that she switched to being a Republican in order to run for statewide office.” Hyde-Smith made a public comment about how shocked she was to be elected to the Senate. This was a common theme among McDaniel supporters, who heard her speech on Thursday. Hyde-Smith also thanked retired Senator Thad Cochran for her seat that she took in April. This was another tense moment. McDaniel nearly beat Cochran in 2014’s Republican primary. This race was one that he never conceded. Hyde-Smith also said that Senator Thad Cochran had done so much for us all over the years, drawing even more boos from McDaniel supporters. McDaniel supporters continued to hurl jeers at Hyde-Smith as she spoke about President Donald Trump’s support, the tax cut package that was championed in Congress, and her approach to serving Mississippi. Three times she acknowledged McDaniel supporters. Hyde-Smith stated at one point that McDaniel supporters were easy to recognize. “You can hear them?” They are easy to recognize.” As Hyde-Smith spoke the Neshoba County Fair security personnel walked into the pavilion and stood next to McDaniel supporters, hurling insults. McDaniel supporters had made signs that read “Debate!” – echoing McDaniel’s request that Hyde Smith debate him. Others held up Confederate flags as hand-held state flags. However, Hyde-Smith’s speech was not the only drama. Two young men held posters with McDaniel quotes from the 2016 presidential primary. They were displayed near McDaniel’s speech. One poster read “Trump isn’t a constitutional conservative, just not,” and credited McDaniel for the quote in 2016. McDaniel supporters were visibly annoyed and asked them which candidate they supported. He said “Figures” when they refused to answer. Later, a McDaniel campaign volunteer recorded the men being approached by a man in a Hyde Smith T-shirt. The man directed the young men towards the pavilion stage back, where McDaniel would be soon speaking to reporters. McDaniel supporters mocked Gov. Phil Bryant spoke after Hyde Smith. Bryant appointed Hyde Smith in April, despite the fact that many McDaniel supporters had asked Bryant to appoint McDaniel. McDaniel declared that he would run in the special election to fill Cochran’s seat. This was to press Bryant into making the appointment. Bryant didn’t miss the opportunity to criticize McDaniel’s stunt, calling it “opportunistic behaviour” and “a sad commentary on a young man with great potential.” Bryant spoke out about the jeers of McDaniel supporters after his speech on Thursday. “People have the right to choose who they support. I don’t tell them what they can and can’t do, but I won’t argue with them about it. Cindy Hyde Smith is my support. They can also support Chris McDaniel. “We’re going to have, hopefully. a fair and clean election because we can’t turn this Senate chair over to a Democrat.” Interestingly the McDaniel supporters remained calm during Sen. Roger Wicker’s speech. McDaniel originally had filed paperwork to run for Wicker this year, but he decided to run in the special elections when Cochran retired.