CNN host Chris Cuomo and Virginia Senate candidate Corey Stewart (R) sparred Wednesday night in a heated interview that focused on Stewart’s affiliation with “white supremacists” and “anti-Semites.”
Stewart appeared on “Cuomo Prime Time” one day after he secured the Republican nomination to challenge Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) in November’s midterm elections.
{mosads}The two men frequently shouted over each other in the interview, with Cuomo repeatedly calling out Stewart’s refusal to condemn “white supremacists” and “anti-Semites.”
“This is the biggest joke I’ve heard in a long time,” Stewart shot back.
In the segment, Cuomo presented Stewart with a timeline that detailed the candidate’s ties to two people.
The first was Paul Nehlan, a congressional candidate from Wisconsin who has frequently made anti-Semitic comments.
Cuomo highlighted that Stewart previously referred to Nehlen as his “hero.”
Cuomo also noted that Richard Hines, a prominent defender of the Confederacy who works with the group Save Southern Heritage, had endorsed Stewart in his campaign for governor last year.
Stewart on Wednesday asserted he doesn’t agree with those men’s views, but did not disavow the endorsements.
“I take support from whoever wants to give it to me. That does not mean I support their views,” Stewart said. “I do not want to have anything to do with anyone who is racist and bigoted or anti-Semitic.”
“I do like you, but you’re far left and you’re not fair,” he told Cuomo after a couple minutes of crosstalk.
“You didn’t rebut a single factual assertion tonight,” Cuomo responded. “And yet the president of the United States thinks you should be the senator for Virginia.”
“When you’re losing the argument you know what you do, you know what the left does? You play the race card,” Stewart retorted.
Stewart won the GOP primary in Virginia on Tuesday night, narrowly edging out the more moderate state Del. Nick Freitas.
Trump congratulated Stewart on his victory, but stopped short of offering an endorsement in a tweet on Wednesday morning.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee, meanwhile, has no plans to endorse Stewart, the group’s chairman said Wednesday.
Editor’s note: This story was corrected to identify Richard Hines’ work with Save Southern Heritage.