U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) questioned Rep. Tammy Duckworth’s family military history in Thursday night’s debate with a remark on her heritage.

“I forgot your parents came all the way from Thailand to serve George Washington,” Kirk said.

The comment was in response to Duckworth talking about her family’s military service dating back to the American Revolution.

“My family has served this nation in uniform going back to the Revolution,” Duckworth said. “I am a daughter of the American Revolution. I’ve bled for this nation. But I still want to be there in the Senate when the drums of war sound because I want to be there to say, ‘This is what it costs. This is what you’re asking us to do. And if that’s the case, I’ll go.'”

Silence followed Kirk’s remark, and then the moderator moved on to the next question.

After the debate, Duckworth tweeted a photo of her with her parents saying, “My mom is an immigrant and my dad and his family have served this nation in uniform since the Revolution.”

Kirk tweeted on Friday, “Sincere apologies to an American hero, Tammy Duckworth, and gratitude for her family’s service.”

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samkrevlin