Democrat Scott Colom unseats Cindy Hyde-Smith in shocking Mississippi Senate win

Scott Colom defeated Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith after more than a week of counting, in a narrow upset in a state that has not elected a Democratic senator since 1982. His victory makes him the first Black senator elected from Mississippi since 1875, giving the state a historic place in the Senate’s Black representation.

Colom’s lead grew as provisional ballots were counted, and Hyde-Smith could not catch up. The result came amid a wider Democratic surge and anger over Donald Trump’s administration and efforts to redraw majority-Black districts. Colom, a former district attorney with a 94% conviction success rate, campaigned on representing all Mississippians and highlighted voters’ concerns about everyday costs.