In an essay written to the Huffington Post, Rielle Hunter apologized for her 2006 affair with then-presidential hopeful, John Edwards.

The former politician's mistress offered the public apology Tuesday for her role in the extramarital affair that effectively ended his marriage to his late wife, Elizabeth, who died of breast cancer in 2010

Hunter, who was a videographer for Edwards' 2008 campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination admitted that she "behaved badly" and regrets hurting Edwards and his family.

"Back in 2006, I did not think about the scope of my actions, how my falling in love with John Edwards, and acting on that love, could hurt so many people," she wrote. "I hurt Elizabeth and her kids. I hurt her family. I hurt John's family. I hurt people that know Elizabeth. I hurt people who didn't know Elizabeth but loved her from afar."

The affair, uncovered in 2007, is the subject of Hunter's new book, "In Hindsight, What Really Happened: The Revised Edition; John Edwards, Our Daughter and Me." Hunter also released a book in 2012, with the same name, minis "The Revised Edition".

As a result of the affair, Hunter gave birth to the couple's daughter, Quinn, in February 2008. The book describes Hunter's and Edwards' unfolding relationship, and the lengths to which Hunter went to sneak in and out of Edwards' hotel room.

The mother-of-one said for years she was viciously attacked by the media and felt like a victim. Despite coming from a family that had its own issues with infidelity, she admits it's no excuse to be involved with Edwards.

"I believe history often repeats itself if you do not take responsibility and change it. Infidelity is wrong. It hurts people. It hurt me and then I in turn hurt people," Hunter wrote. "It is a chain of pain. One I do not wish to pass on to my own daughter."

Hunter ends the letter by stating that the relationship was not her intention.

"I was thoughtless and selfish and I am sorry," she wrote.

Hunter's apology comes one day after Cate Edwards, Edwards' eldest daughter admitted it would have been far easier to stay angry at her father for his affair while her mother was dying of cancer. Cate told Katie Couric on Monday that her father gave her the news of his affair in person.

"My dad told me, he really felt like he needed to be upfront with me," she said. "I was an adult so he felt like he could have that conversation. It was very difficult."

Last year, Edwards went on trial in North Carolina for allegedly misusing campaign funds to hide the affair with Hunter and the birth of their child, but he was acquitted when the jury was split on their verdict.