MWE Correspondent
Democratic challenger Scott Colom has defeated Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi’s 2026 US Senate election, becoming the first Black senator elected from the southern state since the Reconstruction era following the American Civil War.
The Associated Press projected Colom as the winner on November 11 after more than a week of ballot counting, including absentee and provisional ballots, in one of the country’s most closely contested Senate races.
Colom, a 43-year-old district attorney from northern Mississippi, overturned expectations in a state that has traditionally been a Republican stronghold. His victory ends a long period of Republican dominance in Mississippi’s representation in the US Senate and marks the first time a Democrat has won a Senate election in the state since 1982.
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The result is also historically significant because Mississippi has not elected a Black senator since the 19th century. During Reconstruction, the state legislature elected Hiram Rhodes Revels in 1870 and Blanche K. Bruce in 1875 to serve in the US Senate.
Colom’s campaign focused heavily on economic concerns, including the rising cost of living, healthcare access, fuel prices and the future of rural communities. He argued that Mississippi residents needed stronger representation on issues affecting household finances and access to essential services.
His campaign also attracted support from prominent national Democrats, including former President Bill Clinton and former Vice President Kamala Harris, who participated in campaign activities ahead of the election.
Hyde-Smith, who entered the Senate in 2018 after being appointed to fill a vacant seat, sought another term with support from Republican leaders, including President Donald Trump, who campaigned for her during the closing days of the race.
