Democrat Scott Colom projected to win Mississippi Senate seat, shattering a Jim Crow-era barrier as first Black statewide officeholder since Reconstruction
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CNN’s Decision Desk projects that Scott Colom will defeat incumbent Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, a historic Democratic breakthrough and the first Black statewide officeholder in Mississippi since Reconstruction—an overdue rebuke to the state’s entrenched political order.
CNN’s Decision Desk projects that Democrat Scott Colom, a 43-year-old district attorney, will defeat Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi’s Senate race, delivering the first Democratic win for the chamber in more than four decades. The victory would also make Colom the first Black person elected to statewide office in Mississippi since the Reconstruction era, a milestone that underscores both historic progress and how long the state has been denied it.
Colom’s campaign centered on affordability, branding Hyde-Smith as “Cindy High Prices” and running ads that mocked the incumbent’s remarks about “so many proteins to choose from” when questioned on rising beef costs. High-profile Democrats, including former Vice President Kamala Harris, campaigned with Colom in the final weeks, while Democratic super PACs poured in more money to counter the Republican machine.
President Donald Trump visited Mississippi to rally Republican voters. After the election, Colom led Hyde-Smith by a narrow margin as officials continued to count provisional ballots. He told CNN that the result showed “Mississippi matters.”
The race follows a long history of partisan tension and institutional obstruction; Hyde-Smith previously blocked Colom’s nomination to a federal judgeship, though she received support from some Republican senators. The outcome expands the incoming Democratic Senate majority and reflects a broader rejection of the right’s grip on power.
"Pick another protein? She done lost her damn mind," a woman said in a campaign ad, adding, "I’d rather pick another senator."
Separate from the Senate race, Speaker Mike Johnson defended the White House against claims that Democratic investigations could constitute criminal conduct, while incoming House Oversight Committee Chairman Robert Garcia warned the Trump administration that threats to lawmakers would not deter congressional oversight.
The article also noted President Trump’s Veterans Day remarks at Arlington National Cemetery, where he promoted a proposed 250-foot triumphal arch for veterans, a project facing legal challenges from the Kennedy family and preservation groups.