DALLAS, Feb. 25 (UPI) -- U.S. senatorial candidate Chris Mapp defended his use of derogatory slurs when referring to undocumented immigrants as "wetbacks."
The South Texas businessman who is challenging Sen. Jon Cornyn, R-Texas, caused the Dallas Morning News editorial board to endorse the incumbent senator rather than Mapp, after he told them in an interview "that ranchers should be allowed to shoot on sight anyone illegally crossing the border on to their land, referred to such people as 'wetbacks', and called the president, 'a socialist son of a bitch.'"
Mapp, 53, of course felt the need to defend his offensive choice of words. He said that using the derogatory term of "wetback" is "normal as breathing air in South Texas."
"We can't have illegal immigrants, drug cartels, human traffickers, or terrorists coming across our border," he added. "Our borders can either be sealed by choice or force, and so far choice hasn't worked."
The GOP primary in Texas will be held March 4.
[HuffPost Live]
