Democrat Scott Colom wins Mississippi Senate seat in narrow upset

The Guardian reported that Democrat Scott Colom defeated incumbent Republican Cindy Hyde‑Smith to become Mississippi’s next U.S. senator. The victory came after more than a week of counting, with Colom holding a razor‑thin margin in a state that has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1982. The newspaper noted that Colom is the first Black senator from Mississippi since the Reconstruction era. According to the outlet, Colom opened a narrow lead late on election night and saw that lead expand as officials processed provisional ballots, while Hyde‑Smith was unable to close the gap. The result marks a rare shift in a state described as one of the country’s most reliably red jurisdictions.

Why it matters

The win breaks a decades‑long Democratic drought in Mississippi’s Senate races and adds historic racial representation to the state’s congressional delegation.

Key details

Location

United States · Americas

Reported by

The Guardian

First reported

12 Nov 2026, 04:40 IST

Key names

Democrat Scott Colom, Cindy Hyde-Smith, Mississippi Senate, Republican

Section

Politics

Sources

This is an independent summary. Read the full, original reporting from the publisher:

• The GuardianDemocrat Scott Colom unseats Cindy Hyde-Smith in shocking Mississippi Senate win 12 Nov, 04:40

Read the full story at The Guardian ↗

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