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Democrat ahead in Mississippi by dozens of votes in surprisingly tight race for Senate

BBC • November 4, 2026 • nation

Key Points:

Democrat Scott Colom leads Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith by 65 votes in a closely contested Mississippi Senate race, with about 50,000 ballots still to be counted.
A Colom victory would mark the first time since 1875 that Mississippi elects a Black US senator, highlighting significant African American voter turnout in the state.
Hyde-Smith, endorsed by Donald Trump, initially led early vote counts but lost ground as more ballots were processed; Mississippi's mail-in ballot rules and lack of recount provisions may prolong final results.
Democrats have increased funding for this race, viewing an opportunity to flip a traditionally Republican seat amid broader gains in deep red states during the recent election cycle.
Colom’s campaign emphasized Christian faith and economic issues, criticizing Trump’s policies, while the NAACP reported strong Black voter engagement contributing to the unexpectedly tight contest.

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