“Keep your stinking paws off my kid, you damned dirty ape.”
Those words by Republican Jim Coughlan, the Dutchess County controller and a candidate for state Senate, was directed at Melissa Harris-Perry in response to remarks she made about child-rearing that upset many conservatives.
Coughlan said he had no idea that Harris-Perry is black and denied the comment had racist undertones, saying he simply repeating a “well-known quote from the Planet of the Apes.
Even republican party insiders aren’t that thrilled with Coughlan and would probably just as soon wash their hands of him.
Some Republicans said they fear his Twitter history could keep them from regaining a Senate seat they long held until two years ago.
“Jim Coughlan is toxic,” said one.
“The Democrats are dying to run against him in November because they know he’s the best chance they have of keeping this seat in Democratic hands.”
