Democrat Scott Colom has won the US Senate seat in Mississippi, becoming the state's first Black senator since the post-Civil War Reconstruction era. Colom defeated Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith in a closely contested race following a prolonged counting process for absentee and provisional ballots, which local officials in Mississippi refer to as affidavit ballots.
The Associated Press called the contest in Colom's favor on Wednesday. A spokesman for Hyde-Smith confirmed she has called Colom to concede. The victory represents a significant shift for a state that has been largely controlled by white conservatives for generations. It also marks the first time Mississippi has elected a Democratic senator since 1947, when the winner was a staunch segregationist.
Colom, a 43-year-old local prosecutor, won by capitalizing on the state's large Black population, economic discontent, and perceived missteps by Hyde-Smith during her bid for a second full term. During the campaign, Colom stated that they deserve a senator that will listen to them, that actually cares about what they think, actually cares about what they're going through. He also emphasized his goal to represent all of Mississippi, stating it's got to be about having a party that represents rural America again, suburban America, urban America – a party that makes sure we actually deliver for voters in ways that make their lives better, and we don't come up with excuses as to why we can't do it.
Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer celebrated the win on social media, writing that Scott Colom is the only person who could've gotten this done and that he ran the campaign of a lifetime and re-imagined what's possible for Democrats in the South.
Colom's campaign was notable for its aggressive tactics and specific messaging. He targeted Hyde-Smith's responses to high beef prices, using an ad where voters said they'd “pick another senator instead.” He also avoided personal attacks on President Donald Trump, instead focusing on policies like the Iran war and tariffs, which he claimed were hard on Mississippi farmers. He framed Hyde-Smith as a non-entity in Washington, a critique that resonated in a state accustomed to powerful long-serving senators.
The race also involved a personal history between the candidates. In 2022, then-President Joe Biden nominated Colom to be a US District Court judge in the Northern District of Mississippi, a move backed by Mississippi's senior Republican Sen. Roger Wicker and former Gov. Haley Barbour, who is also a former national Republican chairman. However, Hyde-Smith blocked Colom's confirmation. Colom stated his Senate bid was never about getting even with Hyde-Smith.
Colom concluded his campaign with an ad at the Jackson home of civil rights leader Medgar Evers. He spoke of Evers' military service, his voter registration efforts, and his assassination, stating that he was killed for helping Mississippians vote. Colom told voters to use their vote on Tuesday and honour everyone who died for that right.
While Colom received late financial infusions from Democrats and support from figures like former President Bill Clinton and former Vice President Kamala Harris, the win was attributed to strong turnout in the Mississippi Delta and majority-Black counties. The results showed nearly all of the state moved leftwards from the 2024 election, when Trump carried the state by nearly 23 points.
During the vote count, Colom acknowledged the historic nature of achieving what former congressman Mike Espy could not. However, he stated his focus is on future generations, saying his job is to do well enough as the next United States senator that the next time some young Black boy or girl has the work ethic, the vision, and the values, and they want to be United States senator, that nobody says because of anything I've done that they shouldn't get a chance.
