*Mississippi just made history, and Scott Colom is the man at the center of it.
The 43-year-old Democratic district attorney has defeated Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith, becoming the state’s first Black U.S. senator since Reconstruction.
The Associated Press called the race Wednesday, November 11, after eight days of counting outstanding ballots in one of the nation’s closest Senate contests.
With approximately 99% of the vote reported, Colom led Hyde-Smith 49.2% to 48.7%, a margin of roughly 4,700 votes.
And here’s a political twist: The woman Colom defeated is the same senator who blocked his nomination to become a federal judge in 2023.
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Scott Colom’s Historic Mississippi Senate Victory
According to ABC News, Hyde-Smith conceded Wednesday after the Associated Press projected Colom’s victory.
In a video posted to her campaign’s social media account, the Republican senator acknowledged the outcome.
“While this is not the outcome we worked for or hoped for, I respect the decision of Mississippi voters,” Hyde-Smith said.
She also congratulated Colom and wished him well in representing the state.
The victory carries considerable historical significance.
Mississippi previously sent two Black men to the U.S. Senate during Reconstruction: Hiram Revels, who took office in 1870, and Blanche K. Bruce, who began serving in 1875.
Both were selected by the state Legislature before the 17th Amendment established direct popular elections for senators.
Colom becomes the first Black person elected to the U.S. Senate from Mississippi by popular vote.
He’s also the first Democrat elected to the Senate from Mississippi since John Stennis won reelection in 1982.
The Senator Who Blocked His Judgeship Is Now His Defeated Opponent
The political history between Colom and Hyde-Smith adds another dimension to the election. President Joe Biden nominated Colom to a federal district judgeship in 2022.
But Hyde-Smith effectively blocked his confirmation in 2023 by refusing to return a Senate Judiciary Committee approval form known as a blue slip.
Three years later, Colom has defeated her for the Senate seat she held since 2018.
According to Roll Call, Colom campaigned heavily on economic concerns, including rising prices and frustration with Washington.
His campaign also gained attention through an advertisement mocking Hyde-Smith’s suggestion that consumers facing high beef prices could choose other sources of protein.
The ad encouraged voters to choose another senator instead.
A Historic Victory With Roots in Black Political Organizing
As Mississippi Today reported, Colom’s victory followed years of organizing and political efforts by Black Mississippians.
Former Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy, who twice unsuccessfully challenged Hyde-Smith, advised Colom’s campaign and shared donor and voter information. Espy said he hoped his previous campaigns helped prepare the way for Colom’s victory.
Colom, meanwhile, emphasized the importance of creating opportunities for future generations.
“I don’t want anybody to say that I did anything to hurt the next person that has the talent, the work ethic, the ability to be able to reach for their dreams,” he told Mississippi Today.
His victory gives Democrats their eighth Senate pickup of the 2026 midterm elections. The results remain unofficial pending certification, but Hyde-Smith’s concession and the AP projection have resolved the central question surrounding the race.
As EURweb reported November 10, Colom’s campaign had been preparing for possible legal challenges while the election remained unresolved.
Now Mississippi is preparing to send its first Black senator to Washington in more than 140 years.
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