Why It Matters
Democrat Scott Colom won Mississippi’s U.S. Senate race, becoming the state’s first Black senator since Blanche Bruce served from 1875 to 1881. Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith lost by fewer than five thousand votes.
What Happened
Colom, 43, defeated Hyde-Smith in the November 4 election after campaigning in all 82 Mississippi counties. Nearly a million votes were counted, with Colom receiving 49.2% and Hyde-Smith receiving 48.7%.
Colom delivered his victory speech at Tougaloo College. “They did not believe a moment like this was possible, but I kept the faith,” he said.
Hyde-Smith, who entered the Senate in 2018, acknowledged the result. “While this was not the outcome we worked for or hoped for, I respect the decision of Mississippi voters,” she said.
By the Numbers
November 4 — election date
Fewer than five thousand votes — margin separating Colom and Hyde-Smith
Nearly a million — votes counted
49.2% — Colom’s vote share
48.7% — Hyde-Smith’s vote share
82 — Mississippi counties visited by Colom
55 seats — Democrats’ Senate total after the result
100-member Senate — Senate size
Zoom Out
The Mississippi result came as Democrats gained control of both chambers of Congress in the 2026 midterm elections. Democrats also flipped Senate seats in Texas, South Carolina, Kansas and Iowa.
Mississippi had voted for Donald Trump by more than 22 points in the 2024 presidential election. Colom’s victory also marked the return of a Black senator from Mississippi after Bruce’s Senate service ended in 1881.
What’s Next
Colom will take the Senate seat previously held by Hyde-Smith as Democrats begin the next congressional term with 55 seats in the 100-member Senate.