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Democrat Scott Colom leads Mississippi Senate race by 1,138 votes
Democrats have won a historic sweep of the US Congress in the 2026 midterms, but two Senate races remain undecided. In Mississippi, Democrat Scott Colom is narrowly ahead of Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith, raising the prospect of a major upset in a state that has not elected a Democratic senator since 1982.
With nearly 96% of votes counted, Colom leads by 1,138 votes, though counting updates have paused. Mississippi has no law requiring a recount in a close race; Donald Trump won the state by 22 points in 2024, and it has not elected a Black senator since 1875. Republicans have begun disputing the causes of their losses, citing Trump’s absence from the ballot, the Iran war and campaign spending, while exit polls identified living costs and government corruption as voters’ top concerns.
In short
- Democrats swept Congress, with two Senate races still unresolved.
- Scott Colom leads Cindy Hyde-Smith by 1,138 votes in Mississippi.
- Republicans are blaming several factors, including the Iran war and cost-of-living concerns.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Colom’s narrow lead may reflect voters’ judgement that living costs and government corruption mattered more than party loyalty, and a Democratic victory would show that Mississippi voters can shift their support even in a strongly Republican state. With counting incomplete, supporters can reasonably argue that the result should be settled by a transparent process that respects every valid vote.
The case against
Hyde-Smith’s supporters can argue that a lead of 1,138 votes with counting incomplete is too close to treat as settled, particularly when updates have paused, and that the remaining ballots should be scrutinised under consistent rules. They may also see the result as shaped by unusual national circumstances, including Trump’s absence from the ballot and the Iran war, rather than as a clear rejection of the incumbent or her party.
Explained simply
Mississippi is a state in the southern United States, where Republicans have usually won statewide elections in recent decades. Its Senate seat is one of two still undecided after the 2026 midterm elections, which determine who represents each state in the US Congress.
Scott Colom is the Democratic challenger, and Cindy Hyde-Smith is the Republican incumbent, meaning she already holds the seat. Mississippi has no law requiring a recount when a Senate race is close, and it has not elected a Democratic senator since 1982.
The result matters because it could change the balance of power in the Senate, one of Congress’s two chambers. The state also has a long history of racial exclusion from elected office: its last Black senator was elected in 1875.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “US midterm elections 2026 live: Democrats eye historic upset in Mississippi Senate race as Republican blame game begins”.