Scott Colom becomes Mississippi's first Black senator in 150 years

Democrat Scott Colom defeated Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi's U.S. Senate race, securing the state's first Black senator since Reconstruction. The Associated Press declared Colom the winner on Wednesday after counting absentee and provisional ballots. A spokesman for Hyde-Smith confirmed she called Colom to concede the seat.

The victory ends a 79-year run of Republican control over Mississippi's Senate delegation, as the state had not elected a Democratic senator since 1947. Colom, a 43-year-old local prosecutor, campaigned on economic concerns and the state's large Black electorate. He positioned himself as a candidate who could bridge rural and urban divides while addressing practical issues for voters.

National Democratic support intensified late in the election cycle after Black senators Raphael Warnock and Angela Alsobrooks urged donors to focus on the race. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker provided financial backing, while former President Bill Clinton and former Vice President Kamala Harris campaigned for Colom in the final weeks. Colom also targeted Trump supporters at an October rally in Corinth to hear their concerns directly.

The candidates' history dates back to 2022 when President Joe Biden nominated Colom for a federal district court judgeship. Hyde-Smith blocked the nomination using a Senate practice that allows senators to halt appointments in their home states, despite support from then-Senator Roger Wicker and former Governor Haley Barbour. Colom stated that his Senate campaign was not a bid to resolve that earlier dispute.

Colom criticized President Donald Trump's Iran war and tariff policies, arguing they hurt Mississippi farmers, while avoiding personal attacks on the president. He focused on Hyde-Smith's record in Washington, portraying her as less effective than previous influential Mississippi senators such as Thad Cochran, Trent Lott, and John Stennis. His campaign ads, including one responding to Hyde-Smith's comments on beef prices, gained wide circulation.

Mississippi, which has the country's largest share of Black voters, saw strong turnout in majority-Black counties in the Delta region. Results indicated a shift toward Democrats compared to 2024, when Trump won the state by nearly 23 percentage points. Hyde-Smith had entered the Senate in 2018 by appointment and won subsequent elections in 2020 and 2024.

Colom acknowledged the historic nature of the win, noting that Democrat Mike Espy had previously sought to achieve the same breakthrough. He said he wanted his service to ensure that future Black children with ambition and ability would have a chance to become senators.