Republican Sen. Kim Hendren
State Senator Kim Hendren told The Associated Press that he regretted referring to Schumer as Jewish when he criticized the senator during a recent appearance before the Pulaski County Republican Committee last week.
Hendren says, "when I referred to him as Jewish, it wasn't because I don't like Jewish people."
Jason Tolbert, a conservative blogger, quoted Hendren Thursday admitting that he referred to Schumer as "that Jew."
Hendren told the AP that he didn't remember if he referred to Schumer as "that Jew" but said he did refer to that fact that Schumer is Jewish. Hendren said he made the reference as he talked about comments the senior New York senator made criticizing some elements of the Republican Party.
Officials with Schumer's office declined to immediately comment on Hendren's remarks.
Hendren, who once ran for governor as a Democrat against Bill Clinton in 1982, announced last month that he was running against Democratic U.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)