Mississippi Senate race: Democrat Scott Colom defeats Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith
Democrat Scott Colom defeated Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi's US Senate race after a prolonged ballot-counting process, the Associated Press projected on Wednesday.
The narrow victory makes Colom, 43, the state's first Black US senator since post-Civil War Reconstruction and the first new Democratic senator chosen by Mississippi since 1947. Mississippi's other US senator, Republican Roger Wicker, had supported Colom's nomination by former President Joe Biden to serve as a US District Court judge in northern Mississippi, though Hyde-Smith had blocked it citing his position on transgender issues.
Campaign promises
During the campaign, Colom promised to represent all of Mississippi, a state where racial divisions have long defined its politics and society. The southern US state has been controlled mostly by white conservatives for generations.
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.
Senate impact
The Mississippi victory gives the Democrats a 55-44 advantage in the 100-member Senate. The Democrats also won control of the House of Representatives, holding a 254-to-168 advantage with 13 races yet to be called. The outcome adds to a decisive midterm rebuke of President Donald Trump, whose Republican Party suffered defeats in several states.
Hyde-Smith, 67, posted a concession video on social media after a count that took over a week. Media-tabulated results showed Colom ahead by more than 4,500 votes, or 0.5 percentage points. Mississippi does not have a law mandating a recount for a close election.
Related
