Washington: Democrat Scott Colom defeated Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde Smith in Mississippi’s United States Senate election, becoming the first Black senator elected from the southern state in more than 140 years.
Major US news networks projected Colom’s victory on Wednesday, November 11, eight days after the midterm elections, following a closely contested race in a state traditionally dominated by Republicans.
Colom, a 43 year old district attorney, was leading Hyde Smith by 49.2 per cent to 48.7 per cent with approximately 99 per cent of votes counted. The margin stood at around 4,600 votes.
Hyde Smith, who represented Mississippi in the Senate since 2018, conceded the election and congratulated her Democratic challenger.
Historic victory in Republican stronghold
Colom’s election marks a significant political shift in Mississippi, where Democrats did not win a US Senate election since 1982.
He will also become the state’s first Black senator since the Reconstruction era following the American Civil War.
Mississippi previously elected Hiram Revels, the first Black member of the US Senate, in 1870. Blanche Bruce subsequently represented the state in the chamber during the 1870s and early 1880s.
Addressing supporters in Jackson after his projected victory, Colom acknowledged Mississippi's history of Black political activism and the role of local communities in his campaign.
The result was particularly notable because US President Donald Trump carried Mississippi by nearly 23 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election.
Democrats strengthen control of Congress
Colom’s victory follows broader Democratic gains in the November 3 midterm elections, which saw the party secure control of both chambers of Congress.
According to projections reported on Wednesday, Democrats captured eight Republican held Senate seats, including victories in Mississippi, South Carolina, North Carolina, Iowa, Kansas, Ohio, Texas and Maine.
With the Mississippi result, Democrats were projected to hold 55 seats in the 100 member Senate, compared with 44 for Republicans. The Alaska Senate race remained unresolved.
Democrats also secured a majority in the House of Representatives, giving the party greater legislative and oversight powers during the remaining two years of Trump’s presidency.
A Democratic controlled Congress can scrutinise the administration, challenge its legislative priorities and exercise greater influence over presidential appointments.
Cost of living emerges as election issue
Colom’s campaign focused on rising living costs, healthcare and economic concerns affecting Mississippi residents.
Nationally, the midterm elections took place amid debate over Trump’s immigration policies, the war involving Iran and the rising cost of essential goods.
Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer welcomed Colom’s projected victory, describing it as a major achievement for the party in a longstanding Republican stronghold.
Although Hyde Smith conceded, the narrow margin means the final certified result remains important. Mississippi does not require an automatic recount solely because an election is close.
The outcome represents a historic breakthrough for Democrats in Mississippi and strengthens their position in Congress ahead of the final two years of Trump’s second presidential term.
