Democrat Maryland Senate candidate apologizes for using racial slur, says he misspoke

Democrat Maryland Senate candidate and Rep. David Trone has apologized for using a racial slur during a hearing, saying it was unintentional. 

Trone made the slur during a Thursday hearing on tax policy where director of the Office of Budget and Management Shalanda Young was testifying. 

"So this Republican jigaboo that – it’s the tax rate that’s stopping business investment, it’s just completely faulty by people who have never run a business," he said, according to Fox News. "They’ve never been there. They don’t have a clue what they’re talking about."

Trone told Fox that he misspoke when he said it and meant to use a different term. 

"Today while attempting to use the word ‘bugaboo’ in a hearing, I used a phrase that is offensive. That word has a long, dark terrible history. It should never be used any time, anywhere, in any conversation," he told the outlet.

He also said that as a white man he has privilege and needed to be more cautious about his language. 

Trone is running against former Maryland Republican Gov. Larry Hogan and Democratic Prince George County Executive Angela Alsobrooks for Senate.