Democrats target Mississippi Senate seat held by Cindy Hyde-Smith

Democratic candidate Scott Colom is campaigning to unseat Republican incumbent Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi. Colom, a district attorney and former judicial nominee, aims to become the state’s first Black U.S. Senator since the Reconstruction era.

National Democratic figures, including former Vice President Kamala Harris, Senator Raphael Warnock, and former President Barack Obama, have provided support for Colom’s campaign. Democrats believe Colom’s credentials and potential mobilization of Black voters could overcome the state's Republican leanings.

Despite the national attention, the race is considered a solid Republican hold by some analysts. Mississippi has not elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 1982, and the state voted for Donald Trump by approximately 20 points in 2024. The Hyde-Smith campaign has dismissed the Democratic efforts as a failing last-ditch attempt.