Democrat Scott Colom defeated incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith by a margin of just 500 votes, securing 49.2% of the total against her 48.7%. An independent candidate captured the remaining 2.1%, according to figures from CBS. The race remained uncalled for more than a week after election day as local officials counted every single ballot that arrived before the deadline. This result ends a Republican winning streak in Mississippi that dates back to 1982 and makes Colom the first Black person from the state elected to the US Senate in more than 140 years. Blanche K Bruce was the last Black man elected from Mississippi, while John C Stennis was the last Democrat sent there.
A historic shift in a red state
The victory caps a national wave of anger at Donald Trump’s administration, sweeping away Republicans in places where Democrats had not been competitive in decades. Polls suggest this was driven largely by voter frustrations with the economy and the Iran war under President Trump. Exit polls blame the administration’s tariffs and war with Iran for the economic woes that motivated voters. Across the south, voters were further motivated by the president’s attempt to drastically redraw Black majority districts to dilute Democratic voting blocs. Colom capitalized on this mood by highlighting his opponent’s support for Trump’s tariffs and giving her the nickname "Cindy High Prices." He campaigned aggressively, visiting all of Mississippi’s 82 counties, while Hyde-Smith faced criticism for a lack of public appearances. Her campaign assailed Colom as a puppet of billionaire liberal donor George Soros, whose family helped fund his political campaigns.
Colom has a track record of success in the state, having unseated a nearly 30-year incumbent in 2015 to become the first Black district attorney for the 16th circuit. As district attorney, he maintained a 94% success rate for convictions. Joe Biden nominated him to be a federal judge in the northern district of Mississippi, but Hyde-Smith blocked him from having a confirmation hearing. On election day, she joked about the incident, saying: "I blocked Scott Colom from being a federal judge, and you blocked him from being a US Senator." Asked about her comments at a press conference the next day, Colom replied: "Bless her heart." National stars including Cory Booker, Pete Buttigieg, Kamala Harris, and Bill Clinton visited the state late in the race, while Trump rallied for Hyde-Smith last month.
Campaign tactics and post-election moves
Colom drew national attention for a viral ad featuring Hyde-Smith’s response to a local news host about rising beef costs. She told the host: "You have so many proteins to choose from." The 30-second ad cuts to a man grilling beef patties who asks: "Pick another protein?" before adding: "Shiiiit. I’d rather pick another senator instead." Colom drove a "pick your protein" taco truck, giving free tacos to voters during his campaign. He attended Trump’s rally for Hyde-Smith a week before the election to engage the president’s supporters and listen to their concerns about high gas prices, grocery bills, and health insurance. He posed for photos with some rally-goers and said the face-to-face conversations helped him convert unlikeliest voters to his campaign.
In the days after the election, Colom continued a dizzying campaign, visiting Millsaps College, his alma mater, and local colleges Jackson State University and Tougaloo College. With national and international cameras on him, he stopped by small, local businesses including Marshall’s Music and Book Store and OffBeat, both Black-owned, and Brent’s Drugs, a Jackson classic. His campaign promised that "Mississippi matters" and that he would represent all Mississippians. National voting groups and attorneys descended upon the Magnolia state, joining local groups to mobilize voters. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and attorneys from the Elias Law Group deployed hundreds of volunteers and lawyers to all 82 counties to oversee the final rounds of counting. Mississippi has no automatic recount law; a recount can only happen if ordered by a court in response to a lawsuit against a county or commission. Hyde-Smith congratulated Colom in a video posted on X on Wednesday evening, stating: "While this was not the outcome we worked for or hoped for, I respect the decision of Mississippi voters."
