Scott Colom has defeated incumbent Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith in a surprising victory that marks the first time in over 40 years that Mississippi voters have elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate, according to CNN’s Decision Desk projections.
Colom, a local district attorney, focused his campaign on issues of affordability, dubbing Hyde-Smith “Cindy High Prices.” His campaign was notable for a viral advertisement that parodied a Hyde-Smith comment about the variety of proteins available during a discussion about rising beef prices. “Pick another protein? She done lost her damn mind,” one woman expressed in the ad, humorously suggesting that voters might prefer selecting a different senator instead.
As the election neared, Colom received support from prominent Democrats, including former Vice President Kamala Harris, while Democratic super PACs invested in his campaign. Despite this, President Donald Trump also made appearances in the state to rally support for Hyde-Smith.
The race tightened significantly in the days following the midterm elections, with Colom leading Hyde-Smith by a slender margin as local officials processed a large number of provisional ballots. Colom expressed his sentiments to CNN, stating, “Mississippi matters,” highlighting the significance of voter participation in the state.
Colom’s campaign successfully energized Black voters, who represent approximately 35% of Mississippi’s electorate, while also forging alliances with White, working-class voters. His path to victory is particularly notable given that just a few years earlier, Hyde-Smith had blocked Colom’s nomination to the federal bench, despite him having support from some Republican figures, including Mississippi’s senior senator, Roger Wicker.
Cindy Hyde-Smith made history in 2018 as the first female U.S. senator from Mississippi when she was appointed to fill a vacancy, subsequently winning a special election and reelection in 2020.
