I don't claim to know him but I think he was a foolish kid who is now learning the error of his ways. He never struck me as someone who was intentionally malicious but rather someone who is very uninformed and didn't realize it. He said it once in a stream, he used it to mean basically "asshole" when someone killed him. I'm sure he knew it was racist, but he probably didn't know the WHY to why it was or the real cultural significance it has in the US, he's swedish, he's so far removed from American culture. And I don't think he realized the impact of saying that and some of his other comments had on his young impressionable fans.
It SEEMS like he's becoming more politically left leaning and has unlearned some of his bias he had in the past. I don't know for sure but I hope he has.
It was a 50/50 vote, if she would have voted no, it would not have passed the Senate