Indiana Sen. Joe Donnelly thinks his staffers are amazing, despite the fact that they’re minorities.

The senator, whom many believe could be one that loses to a Republican challenger this November, offered an awkward defense for his record of diversity.

“We want everybody to have a chance in Indiana, and America, and my offices reflects that, both on the campaign side, and on the Senate side,” Donnelly said.

“Our state director is Indian-American, but he does an amazing job. Our director of all constituent services, she’s African-American, but she does an even more incredible job than you can ever imagine,” he said.

“It isn’t their race, or their religion, it’s the incredible person that they are,” Donnelly said. “But at the same time, they have to have a chance. They have to have an opportunity, and that’s my responsibility.”

The next day, the Democrat Senator said he misspoke.

“I misspoke. I meant to say ‘and,’ and said, ‘but,'” Donnelly said.

“The diversity of my office has been a complete commitment of mine, um, it’s part of my life’s work and the record speaks for itself,” he said.

“I’m incredibly blessed to have the people that work for me and they do an amazing job.”

“Is that something worth an apology?” a reporter asked.

“I just said I misspoke. I said ‘and’ instead of ‘but’ — or I said ‘but’ instead of ‘and’ and my record of diversity speaks for itself,” he said.