# Even Scott Colom’s Backers Were Skeptical. Here’s How He Won in Mississippi.

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/even-scott-coloms-backers-were-skeptical-heres-how-he-won-in-mississippi/
- Published: 2026-11-13T15:01:10+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-13T15:22:28+00:00
- Original publisher: New York Times (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/11/13/us/politics/scott-colom-mississippi-democrat-defied-odds.html
- Topics: Elections, Government, Politics, World

## Key points

- Scott Colom defeated incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi.
- His win is a rare Democratic breakthrough in the state.
- A long campaign overcame early scepticism from donors and party figures.

## Summary

Scott Colom, a 43-year-old district attorney and seventh-generation Mississippian, has defeated Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith to become Mississippi’s senator-elect. His victory is a rare Democratic breakthrough in a state that has not elected a Democratic senator since the 1980s, and a major shift in expectations about where Democrats can win.

Colom spent more than a year campaigning while many donors and party figures doubted he could succeed. He had previously been blocked from a federal judgeship by Hyde-Smith, and drew on a family history of public service: his mother was a judge and his father a lawyer and former Republican political activist. He said the campaign’s lack of early attention helped him earn support over time.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.