A stunning political upset is unfolding in deep-red Mississippi, where Democrat Scott Colom is projected to defeat Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith and flip a U.S. Senate seat Democrats haven’t held in more than four decades.
CNN projects Colom as the winner, marking a major breakthrough in a state that has long been a Republican stronghold.
The victory would also make Colom the first Black person elected to statewide office in Mississippi since the Reconstruction era — adding historic significance to an already remarkable political upset.
Hyde-Smith acknowledged the projected defeat, congratulating Colom in a video shared on X.
“While this is not the outcome we worked for or hoped for, I respect the decision of Mississippi voters,” she said. “I want to congratulate Scott Colom and wish him well as he takes on the tremendous responsibility of representing our great state.”
Colom’s projected victory marks a major shift in Mississippi politics and gives Democrats a Senate seat in a state that has not elected a Democratic senator in more than 40 years.
