Scott Colom Leads Mississippi Senate Race
Democrat Scott Colom holds a narrow lead over Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi.
November 5, 2026 · Updated Nov 5, 3:46pm ET
The New York TimesHow Colom Changed a Long Shot in Mississippi Into a Race Too Close to Call
NBC NewsScott Colom criticizes Democrats for writing off Mississippi amid close Senate vote count
Washington TimesMississippi Senate candidates lawyer up in nail-biter election
Daily BeastRepublicans Float Vote Rigging in Desperate Ploy to Save Red Seat
ABC News3rd place Mississippi Senate candidate says he did not spoil tight race for Democrat
FOX NewsBlue wave nearly swallowed some of America's reddest states as election data exposes GOP's close calls
Daily KosDemocrat expands lead in Mississippi Senate race
AxiosDemocrat locked in Deep South Senate stunner
Just the NewsDemocrat Scott Colom leads Republican incumbent Hyde-Smith in Mississippi's undecided Senate race
AlterNetRepublicans launch desperate last-minute bid as deep-red state goes blue
BBC NewsBoebert, billionaires' tax and other midterms races still to watch
Breitbart NewsMississippi Democrat eyes upset victory in US Senate race
TPMMississippi Senate Update
Raw Story‘Fun fact’: Dana Bash amused as GOP senator's Biden-era block may now cost her Senate seat
45%
Left · 8
33%
Center · 6
22%
Right · 4
Pano rates the coverage Leans Left.
What happened
- Democrat Scott Colom
Scott ColomAmerican lawyer led Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith
Cindy Hyde-SmithAmerican politician (born 1959) by 1,724 votes Thursday afternoon in Mississippi’s Senate race, which remained too close to call. - About 96% of the expected vote had been counted, with mail and provisional ballots still outstanding.
- A Colom victory would expand Democrats’ Senate majority and make him Mississippi’s first Democratic senator elected since 1982 and its first Black senator since Reconstruction.
- Both candidates said they expected to win, while Republican Senate campaign lawyers asked officials in all 82 counties to separate and preserve provisional ballots.
- Mail ballots postmarked by Election Day can arrive through November 10, and Mississippi has no automatic recount law.
How the left told it
Left-leaning outlets emphasized Colom’s unexpected strength in a Republican stronghold and the prospect of a historic Democratic pickup. The New York Times examined how he turned a “long shot” into a close race; Daily Kos highlighted his expanding lead, while the Daily Beast called Republicans’ ballot-preservation demands a “desperate ploy.”
How the right told it
Right-leaning outlets generally framed the close race as evidence of Democrats’ unexpectedly broad gains in Republican territory. Fox News described GOP strongholds nearly swallowed by a “blue wave,” and Breitbart called Colom’s potential victory a “stunning upset.” The Washington Times focused on both campaigns preparing for a possible legal battle.
Mississippi Senate Race
Part of the storyline · Storyline →- Nov 6Mississippi Senate Ballot Fight EscalatesBalanced
- Nov 5Scott Colom Leads Mississippi Senate Race (this story)Leans Left
- Nov 4Mississippi Senate Race UnresolvedLeans Left
