Mississippi’s first Black U.S. senator since Reconstruction was declared Wednesday after Democrat Scott Colom defeated incumbent Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith in a closely contested race.
Colom, a 43-year-old district attorney, secured 49.2% of the vote to Hyde-Smith’s 48.7%, with independent candidate Ty Pinkins winning 2.1%, according to results certified by local officials after days of processing absentee and provisional ballots. The Associated Press called the race for Colom on Wednesday, finalizing the outcome.
Colom’s victory marks the first time a Democrat has won a Mississippi Senate seat in over four decades. His campaign emphasized economic frustrations among voters, positioning him as an underdog challenger in a state long dominated by Republicans. The race was decided by fewer than 5,000 votes out of nearly 1.2 million cast.
Colom’s outreach to Trump supporters draws bipartisan attention
Colom’s campaign strategy included an appearance at a rally for former President Donald Trump in Corinth, Mississippi, last month. While Trump had previously criticized Colom as a “Marxist radical” and “shameless phony,” he later praised the Democrat’s effort to engage with his supporters. Trump acknowledged Colom’s approach during an appearance on Stephen A. Smith’s Straight Shooter podcast, stating: “I give him a lot of credit for that.”
Trump noted that Colom walked along the line of Trump supporters waiting to enter the rally, introduced himself, and discussed their concerns. The move drew significant media attention and briefly overshadowed Trump’s own campaign events in the state.
Senate Democrats and local leaders react
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) issued a joint statement congratulating Colom, calling his win “historic” and emphasizing their intent to collaborate with him on issues such as healthcare and economic costs. Schumer’s influence in the race was later downplayed by Colom, who suggested his own campaign operated independently of national party leadership.
Colom’s election follows his 2015 victory as the first Black district attorney in his region of Mississippi, where he unseated Forrest Allgood, a prosecutor criticized for wrongful convictions. Allgood had fought to keep two Black men, Kennedy Brewer and Levon Brooks, incarcerated for decades despite exculpatory DNA evidence and a confession from the actual perpetrator.
Mississippi’s racial and political history in context
Mississippi has a complex racial and political legacy, including the 1955 murder of Emmett Till, the 1962 desegregation crisis at the University of Mississippi, and the 1964 killings of civil rights workers James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner. The state has not elected a Black U.S. senator since Reconstruction, a period that ended in the late 19th century amid federal withdrawal from Southern governance and the rise of Jim Crow laws.
Colom’s win comes amid broader shifts in Southern politics, where traditionally Republican states like Georgia and Texas have seen competitive races with Democratic gains. His campaign focused on economic discontent, resonating with voters in a state where inflation and healthcare costs were central issues.
Next steps
Colom will be sworn in as Mississippi’s junior senator in January 2027, becoming the state’s first Black senator in 150 years. His victory adds a new voice to the Senate, where Democrats hold a narrow majority, and raises questions about the future direction of Mississippi’s political landscape.