Democrat Scott Colom wins : NPR

Key Points:

• Democrat Scott Colom narrowly defeated Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi's U.S. Senate race, marking the closest Senate contest in the country this cycle after a week of counting absentee and provisional ballots.
• Colom's victory highlights a significant political shift in the South, driven by increased Black voter turnout in Mississippi, which has the highest percentage of Black voters in the U.S. yet had not elected a Democratic senator in over 40 years.
• The campaign centered heavily on economic issues, with Colom focusing on the rising cost of living and criticizing Hyde-Smith as "Cindy High-Prices," appealing to voters in Mississippi's agriculture-dependent economy.
• Unlike many other Senate races, Mississippi received little national attention or funding until the final days, with notable late visits from figures like President Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, while Colom criticized the Democratic Party for neglecting the state earlier in the campaign.
• Hyde-Smith maintained a low profile during the race and faced criticism for dismissive comments on rising beef prices, contrasting with Colom's active engagement with voters and media.