Colom wins historic Mississippi Senate race

Democrat Scott Colom made history Wednesday night, becoming the first Black U.S. senator elected from Mississippi since Reconstruction after defeating Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith in one of the nation’s most closely watched Senate races. The Associated Press called the race for Colom on Wednesday, Nov. 11, more than a week after Election Day, following a lengthy count of absentee and provisional ballots. Colom’s victory marks the first time a Democrat has won a Mississippi U.S. Senate seat since 1982. The 43-year-old district attorney also becomes the state’s first Black senator since 1874. Colom also carried neighboring Panola County, receiving 6,421 votes, or approximately 56% of the vote, compared to 4,909 votes for Hyde-Smith and 238 for independent candidate Ty Pinkins.

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