Democrat Scott Colom has defeated Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi, CBS News projects, securing an upset in a state that had not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1982. The result gives Democrats their eighth Senate seat gained from Republicans in the election, expanding their majority after a contest that remained unresolved for days.
Colom, a 43-year-old district attorney and seventh-generation Mississippian, will become Mississippi’s first Black senator since Reconstruction. His campaign centered on healthcare and the cost of living. He promised to deliver results for the state and argued that Hyde-Smith had failed to do so. Former President Bill Clinton and former Vice President Kamala Harris campaigned alongside him in the weeks before Election Day.
Hyde-Smith, 67, acknowledged the result in a video message Wednesday night. She has served in the Senate since 2018 and was the first woman elected to represent Mississippi in Congress. Although she expressed disappointment with the outcome, she said she respected the voters’ decision, congratulated Colom and wished him success in representing the state.
The contest grew unexpectedly competitive during the campaign’s closing weeks. National Democrats announced in October that they would spend money on advertising in the race for the first time. The Cook Political Report also shifted its assessment from solidly Republican to leaning Republican, reflecting a contest that had become less secure for the incumbent.
Mississippi’s tightening race unfolded as Republicans across the country faced political pressure over an unpopular war in Iran and continuing affordability concerns. Those difficulties extended into reliably Republican states, opening opportunities for Democrats in places they had not expected to contest successfully at the beginning of the election cycle.
The challenge facing Colom had appeared substantial before Election Day. President Trump carried Mississippi by 20 points in 2024, and the state’s long gap since last electing a Democratic senator underscored the obstacles. Even after voting ended, the outcome was uncertain: at one point the following day, only a few dozen votes separated the candidates. Colom’s advantage grew over the ensuing days.
In her message, Hyde-Smith said her commitment to Mississippi would continue beyond her Senate service. She described public service as a responsibility extending beyond an individual or an election, emphasizing the people represented, shared values and the future left to children and grandchildren.
Mississippi joins North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Ohio, Iowa, Kansas and Maine among the Senate seats Democrats flipped. With Colom’s projected victory, Democrats are set to hold at least 55 seats when the Senate convenes in January, compared with 44 for Republicans.
