Scott Colom wins Mississippi Senate race in historic upset

Democrat Scott Colom unseated Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) in one of the biggest upsets in the 2026 midterm elections.

Scott Colom wins Mississippi Senate race in historic upset

TL;DR

  • Democrat Scott Colom unseated Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi.
  • This victory is considered one of the biggest upsets of the 2026 midterm elections.
  • Colom's win is the first for a Democrat in a Mississippi U.S. Senate race since 1982.
  • Colom criticized national election forecasters for consistently rating the race in Hyde-Smith's favor.
  • He argued that these ratings hampered fundraising and indicated neglect by the national Democratic Party towards Southern candidates.
  • Hyde-Smith's campaign faced challenges, including a controversial comment about beef prices.
  • Colom, a district attorney, was previously denied a judgeship by Hyde-Smith.
  • He will be Mississippi's first Black U.S. senator since Reconstruction.
  • President Trump visited Mississippi weeks before the election, and national Democrats ran advertisements in the state.