A Democrat who is the frontrunner in a hotly contested U.S. Senate race was recently caught on camera using a racial slur. 

The Democrat, according to Fox News, is U.S. Rep. David Trone (D-MD).

The incident occurred on Thursday during a hearing that took place before the U.S. House of Representatives Budget Committee.

The video footage from the incident can be found here.

Here's what Trone said:

Trone's racial slur came during testimony that was provided by Shalanda Young, the director of the Office of Budget and Management.

The congressman said, "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. They’ve never been there. They don’t have a clue what they’re talking about."

The racial slur is the word "jigaboo."

For those unfamiliar with the word and/or its meaning, Merriam-Webster dictionary reports, and other dictionaries confirm, that "jigaboo" is an "offensive" word, a word "used as an insulting and contemptuous term for a black person."

The Online Etymology Dictionary further explains that "jigaboo" is an:

insulting name for a black person, 1909, perhaps from jig (q.v.), which had been applied insultingly to persons (regardless of race) since late 18c., and ending from bugaboo. Shortened form jig is attested from 1924. also from 1909.

Was it an accident?

Trone, of course, is claiming that the use of "jigaboo" was, indeed, an accident on his part.

"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," Trone said.

He added, "I recognize that as a white man, I have privilege, and as an elected official, I have a responsibility for the words I use — especially in the heat of the moment. Regardless of what I meant to say, I shouldn’t have used that language."

Whether this apology will suffice is unclear. At the time of this writing, Trone does not appear to be facing that much criticism for the remark. Many have suggested that this demonstrates yet another double standard that we have here in America, in that, if a Republican had used the word "jigaboo," then there would probably be calls for his or her resignation.

Trone, as mentioned at the outset, is the Democratic frontrunner for one of Maryland's U.S. Senate seats. He is currently leading a rather crowded field of Democratic primary candidates.