Mississippi elects Democrat Colom as state's first post-Civil War Black senator
Democratic nominee Scott Colom defeated Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi's closely contested US Senate race on Wednesday, becoming the state's first Black senator since post-Civil War Reconstruction.
Colom's victory represents a seismic shift in Mississippi's political landscape, which has been controlled mostly by white conservatives for generations. Despite having the largest share of Black residents of any US state, the state has not elected a Black senator since the Reconstruction era following the Civil War.
Historic Election
The closely contested race required an extended ballot counting process before Colom's victory could be confirmed. His election comes at a time when Mississippi's demographics have increasingly clashed with its political representation.
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