Democrat Scott Colom Defeats Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi Senate Race

Democrat Scott Colom, a district attorney, defeated Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi's U.S. Senate race, the Associated Press and CBS News projected Wednesday, more than a week after Election Day. The AP count put Colom at 49.19% to Hyde-Smith's 48.71%. Colom, 43, will be the first Black senator from Mississippi since Reconstruction and its first Democratic senator since the 1980s. Hyde-Smith, 67, who has served since 2018, conceded in a video on X, saying she respected the voters' decision and wished Colom well. Democrats now hold at least 55 Senate seats, with at least eight flipped from Republicans. Alaska is the only race left uncalled, with former Rep. Mary Peltola narrowly ahead of Sen. Dan Sullivan. The race tightened late after national Democrats began ad spending there and the Cook Political Report moved it from solidly to leaning Republican. Colom campaigned on cost of living and healthcare, with Bill Clinton and Kamala Harris appearing for him.

Left-leaning CBS News and NPR frame the result as an upset. CBS profiles Colom, his campaign themes and his surrogates, and cites national headwinds for Republicans, including an unpopular Iran war and affordability. NPR stresses the history: no Democrat in office since 1980 and no Black senator since the 1870s. Right-leaning Fox News calls it another stunning Republican setback, labels Hyde-Smith a Trump ally and flags Soros-family backing of Colom. The Daily Caller keeps a plain headline, gives the vote percentages, highlights Colom's beef-price ad and quotes Hyde-Smith on ensuring every legally cast vote was counted. Both sides report the 55-seat total and the concession. BBC and CNBC largely match, adding Trump's 22-point state margin and a Schumer quote.