Democrat Scott Colom Tries to Force a Senate Upset in Deep-Red Mississippi
Select a version of the text written from a presumed ideological perspective. This is not the original text, but a hypothetical version — how someone with that viewpoint might have phrased it. Tapping the current version again will return to the original or select cleaned version.
Mississippi District Attorney Scott Colom is attempting to unseat Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith by leaning on demographic arguments, outside Democratic money, and visits from party elites in a state that has overwhelmingly backed Republicans, while conservatives argue Hyde-Smith’s record remains strong.
Mississippi District Attorney Scott Colom is attempting to defeat Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in a Senate race that Democrats have failed to win in nearly four decades. The 43-year-old is banking on the state’s 35% Black voting bloc and what he calls a changed political climate to make the race competitive, even though President Donald Trump carried Mississippi by 23 points in the 2024 election.
Colom said Mississippi has been ignored by national campaigns, creating a familiar cycle in which Democrats underinvest, lose, and then use those losses as an excuse to stay away. > "It’s a chicken-and-egg thing. We don’t compete in Mississippi so we don’t do well, and then we say, ‘Well, we didn’t do well so we shouldn’t compete.’"
High-profile Democrats have traveled to the state, including former Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Barack Obama, who aired an endorsement ad. A Democratic super-PAC aligned with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced a $1.2 million ad buy to support Colom.
Democratic strategist Terrance Woodbury said there is increased activation among Black voters and frustration among some Republican voters that could influence the outcome. Charles Taylor, executive director of the Mississippi NAACP, said a victory would require strong Black turnout and about a quarter of the White vote.
Colom’s campaign has centered on issues such as tariffs, minimum-wage increases, and health-care access. He has held dozens of town halls and used a mobile “Mississippi Matters” food truck to engage voters, including a satirical video that has attracted significant online attention.
Republican officials defend Hyde-Smith’s record, highlighting her work on infrastructure, rural health care, and conservative judicial appointments. Campaign manager Jake Monssen said voters are familiar with her achievements, while veteran Republican operative Austin Barbour warned that national Democratic visits could energize the Republican base.
Colom has raised nearly $4 million, allowing him to buy statewide television ads, a rarity for Democratic candidates in Mississippi. He continues to campaign across the state, including at Jackson State University’s homecoming events, and says he is giving the race his full effort.