By The Midtown Times Staff
JACKSON, Miss. — Democrat Scott Colom has defeated Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi’s closely watched Senate race, becoming the state’s first Black U.S. senator since Reconstruction.
The Associated Press called the race for Colom on Wednesday after election officials spent several days counting absentee and provisional ballots. His victory marks a significant political shift in a state that has long been dominated by white conservatives.
Colom, a 43-year-old prosecutor, campaigned amid voter concerns about the economy and criticism of Hyde-Smith’s record as she sought another term. His win also adds to a difficult midterm night for Republicans and may strengthen Democrats’ hopes of building support across the South.
Mississippi last elected a Democratic senator in 1947. That senator supported segregation, a stark contrast to Colom’s historic victory nearly eight decades later.
Colom’s win gives Mississippi a new voice in the Senate and marks a milestone in the state’s political history.
