Democrat Scott Colom squeaks past Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi Senate upset
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Scott Colom narrowly beat incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith by a few thousand votes in Mississippi, becoming the first Black Mississippian elected to the U.S. Senate in over 140 years as the Democratic Senate majority rose to 55 seats.
Democrat Scott Colom pulled off a surprise victory in the Mississippi U.S. Senate race, narrowly defeating incumbent Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith by 49.2% to 48.7%, according to CBS figures. The close outcome left the race unsettled for more than a week as local officials finished counting every ballot received before the deadline.
Colom’s win marks the first time in more than 140 years that a Black candidate from Mississippi has been elected to the Senate, and it ends a Republican winning streak in the state that stretched back to 1982.
Hyde-Smith posted a video on X congratulating Colom, saying, "While this was not the outcome we worked for or hoped for, I respect the decision of Mississippi voters."
The outcome lifts the Democratic majority in the Senate to 55 seats, with the race in Alaska still pending. Analysts note that the result reflects broader voter dissatisfaction with the economy and the Iran conflict under President Donald Trump, echoing similar setbacks for Republicans in other traditionally conservative states during the midterms.