Scott Colom Makes History With Mississippi Senate Victory

Democrat Scott Colom has defeated Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi’s U.S. Senate race, becoming the first Democrat elected to represent the state in the chamber since John Stennis won reelection in 1982—44 years ago. The Associated Press called the race on November 11 after more than a week of ballot counting. ¹

At the time of the call, Colom led by 4,669 votes, with 473,336 votes to Hyde-Smith’s 468,667. He held 49.2% of the vote to her 48.7%, approximately half a percentage point. Those were reported, uncertified totals, with additional ballots awaiting review. ¹²

The victory also makes Colom Mississippi’s first Black U.S. senator since Reconstruction—and its first elected directly by voters. Mississippi previously sent two Black senators to Washington: Hiram Revels, who became the nation’s first Black senator in 1870, and Blanche K. Bruce, who served from 1875 to 1881. Both were elected by the state legislature. ³⁴

Black voters and grassroots organizers played a central role in the historic result. NPR reported a surge in Black voter turnout, while Associated Press reporting identified strong participation in the majority-Black Mississippi Delta alongside broader movement toward Democrats across the state. ¹⁵

That participation followed substantial organizing—and reported obstacles. The NAACP said its effort included knocking on 150,000 doors and registering 17,258 voters. The organization also reported long voting lines, paper-ballot shortages and registration problems, and deployed staff and volunteers to help protect eligible ballots during the count. ⁶⁷

Colom’s victory belongs in Mississippi’s political history. So does the work of the voters and organizers who helped make it possible.