Democrat Scott Colom has defeated Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith in a stunning upset to claim Mississippi's United States Senate seat, becoming the first Black senator elected from the state since the Reconstruction era that followed the American Civil War. The result, projected by the Associated Press on Thursday, also makes Colom the first Democrat to win a Mississippi Senate seat since John Stennis did so in 1982.

The victory extended the nationwide gains Democrats made during the 3 November midterm elections, in which Republicans lost control of both chambers of Congress, leaving President Donald Trump facing a Democratic-controlled legislature for the first time across either of his two terms in office.

A razor-thin margin in a deeply Republican state

The Mississippi Senate race was among the last contests to be called after the midterms, with the margin between the two candidates so narrow that Colom led at certain points by only a few dozen votes. Final media-tabulated results showed him ahead by more than 4,500 votes, a margin of roughly 0.5 percentage points.

Hyde-Smith, 67, had been appointed to the Senate in 2018 and subsequently won a special election that same year. She had consistently led opinion polls in a state where Trump won by nearly 23 points in 2024. Trump even travelled to Mississippi to campaign on her behalf near the end of the race. Despite those advantages, the result went against her.

In a social media video following the outcome, Hyde-Smith offered a concession. "While this is not the outcome we worked for or hoped for, I respect the decision of Mississippi voters. I want to congratulate Scott Colom and wish him well," she said.

Colom's campaign and the historic significance

Colom, a 43-year-old district attorney, ran a campaign that tapped into voter frustration over the rising cost of living. A breakout campaign advertisement featured voters mocking Hyde-Smith's suggestion that consumers could simply switch to other "proteins" rather than pay higher beef prices, a moment that resonated strongly with Mississippi households feeling financial pressure. Those concerned about the broader cost-of-living squeeze will recognise that economic anxiety can reshape even the most entrenched political landscapes.

Addressing a jubilant crowd holding "Senator-Elect Colom" signs, Colom reflected on the difficulty of the campaign. "There were times that I couldn't get donors to answer the phone," he said. "They did not believe a moment like this was possible. But I kept the faith."

He also acknowledged the personal toll of the campaign. "There were times when I was tired, and I felt like I couldn't keep going, but I kept the faith, and that is another tradition of our state," Colom told supporters.

What the result means for Congress and Mississippi's history

The Mississippi victory pushes the Democratic advantage in the 100-member US Senate to 55 seats to 44, with one race, in Alaska, still yet to be decided. In the House of Representatives, Democrats have gained 41 seats and currently hold a 254-to-168 advantage, with 13 races still uncalled.

The historical weight of the result is considerable. Mississippi was a former slave state and one of the central battlegrounds of the civil rights movement in the 1960s, where Black Americans faced systematic discrimination in voting, employment, education and public life. White voters in the state shifted firmly toward the Republican Party following the political realignment that accompanied the civil rights movement, making Mississippi one of the most reliably Republican states in the country.

Colom's win is the first time a Black candidate has claimed a Mississippi Senate seat since the Reconstruction period, more than 150 years ago. Democrats also secured high-profile victories in other traditionally Republican states, including Texas, as part of the broader midterm sweep.

The results leave Trump's administration facing a Congress with the power to block partisan legislation and launch investigations into the executive branch.