How Scott Colom won deep-red Mississippi with little help from Democrats

The ad is simple, less than half a minute long, but many say it was the moment the nation took notice of Mississippi's US Senate race. In it, incumbent Republican senator Cindy Hyde-Smith answers a reporter's question about rising beef prices: 'You know, you have so many proteins to choose from,' she says. The ad then cuts to a man flipping burgers on a grill: 'Pick another protein?' he says. 'Shhhiiiiii – I'd rather pick another senator instead.'

This viral ad for Hyde-Smith's Democratic challenger, Scott Colom, exemplified his campaign strategy of creating memorable, locally relevant messages.

Campaign strategy

Colom spent the past year reaching Mississippi residents where they were, from driving a 'pick another protein' truck offering free tacos to talking to students at college homecomings and voters queued to see Donald Trump. He campaigned on the idea that 'Mississippi Matters,' a message that resonated deeply with state residents but was overlooked by national Democrats.

Funding challenges

When Colom announced his campaign, pundits largely wrote him off as having no chance. Fundraising was difficult, with Colom raising about $594,000 in his first three months compared to Hyde-Smith's nearly $1.1m, including a significant donation from Aipac. By election time, Colom had raised about $3.6m to Hyde-Smith's $5.3m.

Colom had previously overcome significant obstacles, including unseating an incumbent district attorney in 2015 who had held the seat for almost three decades. In 2023, Biden nominated Colom to serve as a US district court judge, but Hyde-Smith blocked his nomination.

Local engagement

Part of Colom's success was his ability to connect with voters personally rather than through traditional campaign speeches. He spoke to people at Waffle Houses, barber shops, hair salons, and fast food restaurants.

National Democrats initially ignored Colom's campaign, with Senator Ralph Warnock telling them to pay attention as early as April. It wasn't until a month before the election, seeing the impact of his 'pick another protein' ad and rising popularity, that the party began seriously funding his campaign. Leaders like Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, and Cory Booker then stumped across Mississippi.

Post-election actions

After the election, while Hyde-Smith refused to concede, Colom used the national media attention to highlight local people and businesses. He visited his alma mater, Millsaps College, and Tougaloo College, a historically Black college where students have been active in voting rights advocacy.

At Millsaps, Colom thanked English professor Anne MacMaster, who had encouraged him to double-major in history and English after hearing him read a passage from Richard Wright. Their interaction was brief, as Colom was surrounded by people eager to speak with him one-on-one.