Democrat Scott Colom becomes Mississippi's first Black senator since 1874

Democrat Scott Colom has defeated Republican incumbent Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi's closely contested US Senate race, becoming the state's first Black senator since the Reconstruction era following the US Civil War.

Colom, a 43-year-old district attorney, secured the narrow victory after several days of ballot counting in one of the last outstanding races from Tuesday's midterm elections. US media projected his victory on Wednesday.

The result marks a significant political shift in Mississippi, a state that has long been dominated by white conservatives. It also adds to the Democrats' gains in the midterm elections, in which the party won control of both chambers of Congress.

Hyde-Smith, 67, who was first elected in 2018, had consistently led in opinion polls in a state that President Donald Trump won by nearly 23 percentage points in 2024. Trump also campaigned for her towards the end of the race.

Colom capitalised on Mississippi's large Black population, economic discontent and criticism of Hyde-Smith's record as she sought a second full term. He also focused on grassroots campaigning, reaching voters through town halls, visits to public housing, festivals and food trucks.

"We did it the hard way, the grassroots way," Colom said.

In an October interview with Reuters, he said Mississippi voters felt "betrayed" by Trump's policies, including the war in Iran, which has driven up fuel prices.

During the campaign, Colom also stressed the need for a political party that could represent voters across racial and geographic divides.

"They actually deserve a senator that will listen to them, that actually cares about what they think, actually cares about what they're going through," he said.

"It's got to be about having a party that represents rural America again, suburban America, urban America — a party that makes sure we actually deliver for voters in ways that make their lives better, and we don't come up with excuses as to why we can't do it," he added.

The last time Mississippi elected a Democrat to the Senate was in 1982, when John Stennis won the seat. The last Black candidate elected to the Senate from the state was former slave Blanche Bruce in 1874.

In 2023, Hyde-Smith blocked Colom's nomination by former President Joe Biden to serve as a federal district judge in northern Mississippi, citing his position on transgender issues. Mississippi's other Republican senator, Roger Wicker, had supported his nomination.

Colom's campaign also received a boost from October rallies featuring Democratic Senators Raphael Warnock of Georgia and Cory Booker of New Jersey.