Democrat Scott Colom was projected to defeat Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, a victory that would make him Mississippi’s first Black senator elected since Reconstruction. (Foto: Instagram)
Democrat Scott Colom, 43, defeated Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, who was seeking reelection, in the Mississippi Senate race. U.S. media projections on Wednesday, Nov. 11, indicated Colom had won. He is set to become the first Black senator elected in Mississippi since the Reconstruction era after the Civil War.
The victory is a historic milestone in a state that has long been a Republican stronghold and is among the country’s most conservative. The last Black politician to represent Mississippi in the Senate was Blanche K. Bruce, who was elected in 1874. Born into slavery, Bruce served from 1875 to 1881.
Colom, who was born in Columbus, Mississippi, built his career in the state’s judicial system. In 2015, at age 32, he defeated Forrest Allgood, who had held the position for 27 years, and became the first Black man elected to lead the prosecutor’s office for the 16th Judicial District, which covers four counties. Before his Senate victory, Colom also worked as a judge and prosecutor. He advocated criminal justice reforms focused on holding violent offenders accountable and helping people convicted of nonviolent offenses rebuild their lives.
In 2022, then-President Joe Biden nominated Colom for a federal judgeship in Mississippi. Hyde-Smith, who became his opponent in this year’s Senate race, blocked the nomination, according to the report.
During the campaign, Colom emphasized economic concerns, including the cost of living, rising prices and access to health care. His proposals included raising the federal minimum wage and protecting rural hospitals. He also criticized Hyde-Smith’s closeness to President Donald Trump and sought to broaden his support among Black, younger and moderate voters.
Colom’s win ends a 44-year stretch without a Democratic Senate election victory in Mississippi. The party’s previous win in a Senate race in the state came in 1982.
