Hyde-Smith, who was seeking a second full term, conceded defeat to Colom on Wednesday evening. In a video posted on her campaign account, she stated, “While this is not the outcome we worked for or hoped for, I respect the decision of Mississippi voters. I want to congratulate Scott Colom and wish him well as he takes on the tremendous responsibility of representing our great state.” A campaign spokesperson confirmed to ABC News that Hyde-Smith called Colom to concede.
Colom, 43, serves as a district attorney for four counties along the Mississippi-Alabama state line and was a former nominee to become a U.S. district judge. His election makes him Mississippi’s first Black U.S. senator since the Reconstruction era following the US Civil War. The last Black candidate elected to the state’s Senate seat was Blanche Bruce in 1874. Colom also becomes the first Democrat to win a Mississippi Senate seat since John Stennis in 1982. President Donald Trump had campaigned for Hyde-Smith in October, winning the state by nearly 23 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election.
The victory expands the Democratic advantage in Congress, where Republicans lost control of both chambers in the midterm elections. The Mississippi result gives Democrats a 55-44 advantage in the 100-member Senate, with the winner of one remaining race in Alaska yet to be determined. In the House of Representatives, Democrats have gained 41 seats so far and hold a 254-168 advantage, with 13 races still awaiting calls. This shift leaves President Trump facing a Democratic-controlled Congress for the first time during either of his presidential terms, granting the opposition party greater leverage to block partisan legislation and launch investigations.
Colom’s campaign initially received limited attention outside of Mississippi until roughly one month before the election, according to the candidate. He attributed his success to a grassroots ground game that connected him directly with voters who felt “betrayed” by broken promises in Washington. In an interview with Reuters, Colom noted that voters were concerned about policies such as the war in Iran, which he said had pushed up fuel prices. His campaign also gained visibility through rallies featuring former President Bill Clinton, former Vice President Kamala Harris, and Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock of Georgia. Prior to the election, both campaigns had indicated readiness for potential litigation over provisional ballots, which were estimated to number in the thousands, as the margin remained tight for over a week.
