Mississippi voters chose Democrat Scott Colom over Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith
Democrat Scott Colom, a district attorney, won Mississippi’s U.S. Senate race, defeating Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith by a few thousand votes and becoming the state’s first Black senator since Reconstruction. Colom is also the first Democrat elected to a Senate seat from Mississippi since 1982.
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The result was not called for more than a week as local officials counted ballots received by the deadline, the BBC reported. Hyde-Smith conceded Wednesday evening, saying she respected voters’ decision, Democracy Docket reported. Mississippi Today said Colom was the first sitting senator from the state ousted since the 1940s.
Democracy Docket noted Colom is the first Black senator elected directly by Mississippi voters; the state Legislature chose Hiram Revels in 1870 and Blanche Bruce in 1875. CNN’s Voter Poll found Black women were 20% of Mississippi’s electorate, compared with 5% nationally, and Colom won 99% of their votes.
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Reporting behind this story
- CNN — The triumph of Black women in Mississippi and across the South
- BBC News — Democrat Scott Colom seals surprise win in Mississippi Senate race
- BBC News — Before Scott Colom, these two men were the last black US senators in Mississippi
- Democracy Docket — Democrat Scott Colom wins Mississippi Senate race as Hyde-Smith concedes
- alabamareflector.com — Scott Colom wins Mississippi U.S. Senate race