Democrat Scott Colom has expanded his advantage in the highly watched Mississippi Senate contest, now leading incumbent Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith by approximately 4,500 votes. This margin represents about half a percentage point in a race that remains tight despite the recent surge in reported numbers for the challenger.
The latest vote totals arrived as Hinds County, which contains the state capital of Jackson and leans heavily Democratic, completed the counting of its absentee and affidavit ballots. Although the county rejected a significant portion of its affidavit ballots on Wednesday, the remaining valid votes contributed to Colom’s growing lead.
Major media outlets, including CNN and The Associated Press, declared Colom the likely winner on Wednesday afternoon. However, Decision Desk HQ, which serves as The Hill’s election data partner, had not yet issued an official projection as of the latest updates. Both candidates expressed confidence during the counting period, with Colom telling CNN on Monday that he was ready to serve, while Hyde-Smith described herself as very optimistic in remarks to CBS News.
Following the projections from other networks, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, the chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, issued a joint statement congratulating the Democrat. Gillibrand highlighted the historic nature of the result, noting that Colom would become the first Democrat to win a Mississippi Senate seat in more than four decades. She expressed anticipation for working with him in the 120th Congress on issues such as healthcare and economic costs.
Counting is not yet complete across the state, but all ballots mailed by Election Day were required to arrive by Monday to be eligible for inclusion. The Mississippi secretary of state reported on Wednesday that 23 of the state’s 82 counties have uploaded their certified results, with a deadline for all counties to finalize this process set for Friday. Officials also indicated that nearly 19,000 affidavit ballots have been processed, though the total number of remaining ballots to count is not yet clear.
A victory for the Democratic candidate would represent a significant political shift in the traditionally Republican Deep South. Mississippi has never elected a Black senator through a popular vote, although two Black Republicans were elected by the state legislature during the Reconstruction era. The state played a central role in the civil and voting rights movements during the 1960s, making this race particularly symbolic for historians and political observers.
If Colom secures the win, it would elevate the Democratic Party’s gains in the Senate to an eight-seat pickup. There is also potential for a ninth seat if the outstanding race in Alaska resolves in favor of the Democrats. This would mark a substantial change in the balance of power in the upper chamber of Congress.
The dynamic between the two candidates has personal and political history. President Biden previously nominated Colom for a federal judgeship, but Hyde-Smith, leveraging her position as his home-state senator at the time, blocked him from receiving a confirmation hearing. Now, Colom has the opportunity to prevent Hyde-Smith from seeking a second full term in the Senate.
