SCOTT COLOM MAKES HISTORY WITH NARROW MISSISSIPPI SENATE WIN

Democrat Scott Colom has defeated Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi’s US Senate race, becoming the first Black person elected to represent the state in the chamber in more than 140 years.

Fewer than 5,000 votes separated the candidates out of nearly one million counted. Colom received 49.2 per cent, compared with Hyde-Smith’s 48.7 per cent, while an independent candidate secured 2.1 per cent.

The result gives Democrats 55 seats in the 100-member Senate, with Alaska’s closely contested race still undecided.

Hyde-Smith conceded on Wednesday evening, congratulating Colom and saying she respected the voters’ decision.

Addressing supporters at Tougaloo College, the 43-year-old prosecutor credited local organisers and voters for his victory.

“They did not believe a moment like this was possible, but I kept the faith,” he said. “It’s not something that I did … It’s something we did.”

Celebrations also broke out at the NAACP’s Mississippi headquarters in Jackson, where board chairman Leon Russell praised the organising efforts of the Black community.

Colom’s victory breaks a Republican Senate winning streak in Mississippi dating back to 1982. It represents a striking turnaround in a state Donald Trump won by more than 22 percentage points in 2024.

During the campaign, Colom visited all 82 counties and focused on living costs, criticising Hyde-Smith’s support for Trump’s tariffs and nicknaming her “Cindy High Prices.”

Hyde-Smith’s campaign attacked his links to donors associated with George Soros, while she faced criticism over limited public appearances.

The result adds to Democratic gains across several traditionally Republican states, amid voter frustration over the economy and the Iran war.