Democrat Scott Colom aims for deep-red Mississippi Senate seat

A U.S. Senate seat is an elected office representing a state in the federal government. The senator helps debate, amend, and vote on national legislation, while also representing the state’s interests. An incumbent is the person currently holding that office. Colom’s challenge means Mississippi voters would choose between keeping Hyde-Smith or replacing her.

Hyde-Smith is seeking another full term, while Colom is presenting himself as a candidate focused on Mississippi farmers, small businesses, and government accountability. The contest also has a personal history because Hyde-Smith blocked Colom’s 2023 federal judicial nomination.

The race matters because Mississippi is strongly Republican. The state has not elected a Democratic senator since 1982, and Donald Trump won it in 2024 by around 20 points. ABC News rates the contest solid Republican, although national Democrats are investing in Colom’s campaign.

Scott Colom is Mississippi’s district attorney for four counties along the Mississippi-Alabama border. He was also previously nominated to become a U.S. district judge. Colom is now the Democratic Senate candidate, seeking to replace Hyde-Smith and become Mississippi’s first Black U.S. senator since Reconstruction.

Cindy Hyde-Smith is the incumbent Republican senator. She is running for only her second full term, according to her campaign. Her supporters argue that Mississippians will send her back to the Senate on November 3. Her campaign also says legislation from individual senators is often passed inside larger legislative packages.

The two candidates have a direct political history. Hyde-Smith blocked Colom’s federal judge nomination in 2023, citing his support for transgender rights and prior backing from a George Soros-linked political action committee. Colom says his Senate campaign is not motivated by revenge.

Mississippi strongly favors Republicans in statewide politics. The state has not elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 1982. It also voted for Donald Trump in 2024 by around 20 points. Those facts explain why ABC News rates the current Senate race solid Republican.

The state’s racial makeup adds important context. Around 36% of Mississippi’s population is Black, according to U.S. Census data. Democrats argue that motivation among Democratic-leaning Black voters could help Colom, especially because he would be the state’s first Black senator since Reconstruction.

That potential is not the same as a likely victory. Colom still faces an uphill battle against an incumbent in a state with a strong Republican voting record. Democrats point to his credentials and voter frustration with Republican incumbents, while Hyde-Smith’s campaign calls the Democratic effort a last-ditch push.

National Democrats are paying attention because they believe Colom could challenge Mississippi’s Republican advantage. They cite his credentials, possible turnout among Democratic-leaning Black voters, and voter pushback against Republican incumbents. A Senate win would also give Democrats a voice from a state that has not elected a Democratic senator since 1982.

The investment is concrete. Former Vice President Kamala Harris and Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock campaigned with Colom. Former President Barack Obama recorded an advertisement for him. The Senate Majority PAC, aligned with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, announced a $1.2 million broadcast television and digital advertising campaign.

Republicans and President Donald Trump are drawing attention because Hyde-Smith is defending the seat. Her campaign says the Democratic effort is a last-ditch attempt to revive Colom’s failing campaign. The article also reports that Hyde-Smith’s supporters may have become more motivated after a boost from Trump, though that section ends before giving details.

Scott Colom’s victory would change who represents Mississippi in the U.S. Senate. He would become the state’s first Black U.S. senator since Reconstruction. That would be a major historical milestone in a state whose population is around 36% Black, according to U.S. Census data.

The result would also shift the state’s party representation in the Senate. Colom would replace Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith with a Democrat. His campaign says he would prioritize Mississippi farmers and small businesses, oppose corruption, and deliver on commitments to put America first.

The broader political meaning would be significant because Mississippi has not elected a Democratic senator since 1982. However, the article describes Colom as facing an uphill battle, and ABC News rates the race solid Republican. A victory would therefore represent both a historic breakthrough and an unexpected partisan change, rather than a routine transfer of power.

A Senate candidate can win against a state’s usual party by building a coalition that includes loyal supporters, newly motivated voters, and people persuaded by local concerns. The campaign must make the race about the candidate’s priorities rather than only the state’s party history. Colom is trying to do that in Mississippi.

Democrats point to his prominent credentials and possible motivation among Democratic-leaning Black voters. Mississippi is around 36% Black. Colom also stresses farmers, small businesses, corruption, and national commitments. His campaign gained attention after a video mocked Hyde-Smith’s comment that voters had many “proteins” to choose from as meat prices rose.

These efforts could help, but they do not erase the state’s Republican lean. Mississippi voted for Trump by around 20 points in 2024, and no Democrat has won its Senate seat since 1982. ABC News still rates the race solid Republican, so Colom would need unusually strong turnout and persuasion.

In the U.S. legislative process, a senator introduces or supports a bill, which is reviewed and debated in the Senate. The Senate can amend it and vote. The House must also pass the same measure, sometimes after differences are resolved. The president then signs it into law or vetoes it, subject to constitutional limits and possible congressional action.

A senator influences legislation in several ways besides personally introducing a successful bill. Senators can cosponsor proposals, negotiate changes, vote for or against measures, and help combine provisions into larger packages. Committee work also helps determine which proposals receive attention. These actions can affect the final law even if a senator’s original bill never passes alone.

That distinction appears in the race. Senate Majority PAC says Hyde-Smith has spent a decade in Washington without passing a single piece of legislation. Her campaign responds that senator-sponsored bills often become law as parts of larger packages, and says that happened with some of her bills.