Mississippi elects Democrat Scott Colom, state’s first Black U.S. senator since Reconstruction

The Story

Democrat Scott Colom has defeated Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi’s U.S. Senate race, after officials spent several days processing absentee and provisional ballots and what Mississippi calls affidavit ballots.

The result makes Colom the state’s first Black U.S. senator since post–Civil War Reconstruction, and it comes after Mississippi’s most recent Democratic senator win ended in 1947.

Hyde-Smith, 67, conceded in a short concession speech posted online, saying, “While this is not the outcome we worked for or hoped for, I respect the decision of Mississippi voters,” and adding, “I want to congratulate Scott Colom and wish him well as he takes on the tremendous responsibility of representing our great state.” A spokesman for the senator said she had called Colom to congratulate him and concede before the video was shared publicly.

Colom is a 43-year-old local prosecutor. During the campaign, he emphasized Mississippi’s large Black population, concerns about the economy, and the opportunity for voters to choose a senator who would “listen to them” and “actually cares about what they’re going through.”

Campaign events highlighted the contrasting styles of the two contenders. In late October, Colom met some voters outside the gates when Donald Trump appeared in Corinth, Mississippi, and described his priorities after asking about people’s concerns. After Trump called Hyde-Smith to the stage, she said, “Is this not the best president in our lifetime?” in a six-second line before she stepped away, and Trump replied, “I love that.”

Colom’s campaign also focused on portraying Hyde-Smith as out of touch with Mississippi. The race was called Wednesday in Colom’s favour after the extended ballot count, with the final result reflecting turnout in the Mississippi Delta and majority-Black counties.

Hyde-Smith’s time in the Senate began when then-Gov. Phil Bryant appointed her in 2018 after Thad Cochran resigned. She then won a special election runoff in 2018 and a full term in 2020, defeating Democrat Mike Espy both times.

Colom said his historic win is about Mississippi as a whole, and he framed his role as ensuring that “the next time some young black boy or girl” wants to become a U.S. senator, “nobody says because of anything I’ve done that they shouldn’t get a chance.”

In the closing stretch, Colom concluded his campaign with an ad that featured him at the Jackson home of Medgar Evers, describing Evers’ military service, his assassination in 1963, and the decades it took to win a conviction. Colom told viewers, “In Mississippi, no one is above the law, and no one should be outside its protection,” and later urged, “On Tuesday, use your vote and honor everyone who died for that right.”

National Democratic leaders publicly celebrated the outcome. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer posted online that “Scott Colom is the only person who could’ve gotten this done.” Former President Bill Clinton also posted that he addressed Colom during the campaign and that he won “because you believe in the promise of your state’s people. And they believed in you right back.”