Democrat Scott Colom wins Mississippi Senate seat, breaking GOP’s grip on the state

Colom pulled off an upset over Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, becoming the first Democrat elected to the Senate in Mississippi since 1982.

In a major upset, Scott Colom has defeated Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi, NBC News projects, capping off a string of Democratic victories by flipping the reddest seat yet in this year’s midterms. Mississippi last elected a Democrat to the Senate 44 years ago, just a few weeks before Colom was born in 1982. Colom will become Mississippi’s first Black U.S. senator since the post-Civil War Reconstruction era. The historic win comes after days of uncertainty in the race, with Colom holding a razor-thin lead over Hyde-Smith as more votes continued to be counted. Colom, a district attorney, remained confident throughout the vote counting that he would prevail. Hyde-Smith congratulated Colom in a video message Wednesday evening.

“While this is not the outcome we worked for or hoped for, I respect the decision of Mississippi voters,” she said. “I want to congratulate Scott Colom and wish him well as he takes on the tremendous responsibility of representing our great state.” Colom is expected to address his supporters at a victory party later Wednesday night. Colom’s campaign confirmed to NBC News that Hyde-Smith had called him to concede. Colom’s victory means Democrats will hold at least 55 Senate seats next year. The only Senate race left to be called is in Alaska. In the next Congress, no Democratic senator will