Scott Colom Wins Mississippi Senate Race 2026, The Democrat Whose Federal Judgeship Hyde-Smith Blocked Defeats Her, Recount Rules, Certification and What Happens Next

Democrat Scott Colom, a 43-year-old district attorney, has won Mississippi’s 2026 U.S. Senate race over Republican incumbent Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith. The Associated Press called the race on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, after more than a week of counting absentee and affidavit ballots. Hyde-Smith conceded the same day.

As of November 12, 2026 at 4:17 a.m. PKT, AP’s results showed Colom with 473,336 votes (49.2%), Hyde-Smith with 468,667 votes (48.7%) and independent Ty Pinkins with 20,234 votes (2.1%). AP’s count showed 962,237 total votes, with an estimated 99% counted. These are AP’s numbers as of that time and may have changed since, and they are not the final certified totals. Media tabulations reported a lead of more than 4,500 votes, about half a percentage point, when the race was called.

Colom is the first Black person from Mississippi elected to the U.S. Senate since Reconstruction and the first Democrat elected to a Mississippi Senate seat since John Stennis won reelection in 1982. The result also has a notable backstory: in 2023, Hyde-Smith withheld her blue slip and effectively blocked Colom’s nomination to a federal district judgeship.

Scott Colom Mississippi Senate Election: Quick Facts

Detail	Information
Winning candidate	Scott Colom, Democrat
Defeated incumbent	Cindy Hyde-Smith, Republican
Other candidate	Ty Pinkins, Independent
Election day	November 3, 2026
AP race call	November 11, 2026
Colom (AP, as of Nov. 12, 4:17 a.m. PKT)	473,336 votes, 49.2%
Hyde-Smith (AP, same time)	468,667 votes, 48.7%
Pinkins (AP, same time)	20,234 votes, 2.1%
AP estimate of votes counted	99%
Hyde-Smith conceded?	Yes, November 11, 2026
Results certified?	Check the Mississippi Secretary of State for final certification
Automatic recount?	No
New term begins	January 3, 2027
Term length	Six years
Historic milestone	First Black U.S. senator from Mississippi since Reconstruction

AP numbers reflect the count at the time shown and may have changed since. Final totals come from state certification.

Why Is Scott Colom’s Victory Historic?

Mississippi had not sent a Black senator to Washington since Reconstruction. Two Black senators represented the state in that era. Hiram Revels took office in 1870 as the first African American in the U.S. Senate. Blanche K. Bruce served from 1875 to 1881 and was the first Black senator to complete a full term. Both were chosen by the state legislature, because direct popular election of senators only began after the Seventeenth Amendment was ratified in 1913.

Colom is therefore the first Black person elected to the U.S. Senate from Mississippi by popular vote. He is also the first Democrat Mississippi has sent to the Senate since Stennis’s 1982 reelection. According to AP reporting, the last time Mississippi chose a new Democratic senator was 1947.

How Did the Race Unfold?

The race was extremely close from election night. Reports from November 5 described a lead of fewer than 2,000 votes, and the race stayed uncalled for days while local election officials counted absentee and affidavit ballots. Mississippi’s Secretary of State’s office told ABC News the state has no formal recount process, and media coverage focused on whether a legal challenge could follow certification.

The AP called the race on November 11. Hyde-Smith then phoned Colom to concede, and she said afterward that she respects the voters’ decision. She was appointed to the Senate in 2018 and later won election to the seat. Colom’s campaign emphasized cost-of-living concerns, healthcare access and economic opportunity. President Trump held a rally for Hyde-Smith in the state before the election.

Related Articles

• What Happens If Democrats Win the House, the Senate or Both in the 2026 Midterms? 
• Can Trump Govern Without Congress? Presidential Powers Under a Divided Government Explained 
• Can Democrats Subpoena Trump, His Family, Banks and Private Companies in 2027? 

The Blue-Slip Backstory: How Hyde-Smith Blocked Colom’s Judgeship

In 2022, President Joe Biden nominated Colom to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi. Mississippi’s other Republican senator, Roger Wicker, returned his blue slip supporting the nomination. On April 4, 2023, Hyde-Smith said she would not return hers.

She cited objections to Colom’s positions on legislation concerning female athletes and transgender issues, and what she described as significant support from George Soros. Reporting on the Soros claim has been disputed: Colom’s supporters rejected its relevance, and the Mississippi Independent reported her claim was untrue. Colom has said he forgave her.

What Is a Senate Blue Slip?

A blue slip is a form the Senate Judiciary Committee sends to a nominee’s home-state senators. By tradition, committee leaders have generally not moved forward on a district court or U.S. attorney nominee when a home-state senator withholds approval. The practice is a Senate tradition, not a requirement in the Constitution. Its enforcement has varied depending on who chairs the committee, and both parties have used it against nominees of the other party. The Constitution’s actual rule is in Article II, Section 2, which gives the president the power to nominate judges “by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate.”

What Changes When Colom Joins the Senate?

Starting in January 2027, Colom will be one of 100 senators and will be able to vote on any judicial nomination that reaches the full Senate. He will not control the process. His committee assignments have not been announced, and one senator cannot confirm or block a nominee alone except through home-state blue-slip practice, which applies only to nominees from his own state and depends on committee policy.

Who Is Scott Colom?

Scott Colom is an attorney from Columbus, Mississippi. He was elected district attorney for Mississippi’s 16th Judicial District, which covers Clay, Lowndes, Noxubee and Oktibbeha counties, and began serving in 2016. His Senate campaign focused on healthcare access, hospital closures, jobs, agriculture and household costs. Those are campaign positions, not enacted policy. A single senator can introduce legislation, work in committees and vote, but cannot independently change federal spending or state economic conditions.

Can Hyde-Smith Request a Recount in Mississippi?

Mississippi does not have an automatic recount provision for this race. The Secretary of State’s office confirmed to ABC News that the state has no formal recount process. A candidate who wants the result reviewed generally has to wait for certification and file a legal challenge, as media reports on the race have described.

A narrow margin alone does not trigger a recount, and a close election does not prove ballots were counted incorrectly. A court would look at the specific claims, evidence and applicable procedures. Hyde-Smith conceded, and no successful legal challenge has been reported as of November 12, 2026.

What Are Mississippi Affidavit Ballots?

Mississippi’s affidavit ballots are its version of provisional ballots, which federal law requires states to offer. Under the Help America Vote Act, 52 U.S.C. § 21082, a voter whose eligibility is questioned can still cast a ballot that is set aside while officials verify it. Election officials review each one under state law and count it only if the voter is found eligible. An affidavit ballot is neither automatically valid nor automatically fraudulent, and reviewing them is a major reason counts can take days.

Can the Senate Refuse to Seat Scott Colom?

Article I, Section 5 of the Constitution says each chamber judges the elections, returns and qualifications of its own members. This gives the Senate authority over disputes about who holds a seat, and its limits are shaped by the Constitution and by state and federal election law. An election call by the media or AP is not the same as state certification, which is a separate legal step. Neither a concession nor an AP call replaces certification.

When Does Colom Take Office?

Under the Twentieth Amendment, the terms of newly elected members of Congress begin at noon on January 3. Colom’s term would begin January 3, 2027 and run six years, to January 3, 2033, if he completes it. Committee assignments and other organizational decisions come after the new Senate organizes.

What Colom’s Win Does and Does Not Mean

A single senator cannot repeal executive orders, eliminate spending, or require the president to sign a bill. Those powers are divided among Congress, the executive branch and the courts. Colom will be able to vote on nominations, legislation and Senate business, and to take part in committee work once assigned. This article does not address which party will control the Senate, because that depends on other races and on how the new Senate organizes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did Scott Colom win the Mississippi Senate race?

Yes. The AP called the race for Colom on November 11, 2026, and Hyde-Smith conceded.

Is Colom the first Black senator from Mississippi?

He is the first since Reconstruction and the first Black person elected from Mississippi by popular vote. Hiram Revels and Blanche K. Bruce served during Reconstruction.

How many votes did Colom win by?

AP’s count as of November 12, 2026 at 4:17 a.m. PKT showed Colom with 473,336 votes and Hyde-Smith with 468,667. Media tabulations reported a lead of more than 4,500 votes, and final certified totals may differ.

Why did Hyde-Smith block Colom’s judicial nomination?

She withheld her blue slip in 2023, citing his positions and support he received from Soros. Colom’s supporters disputed her objections, and he did not receive a confirmation hearing.

Can Hyde-Smith demand a recount?

Mississippi has no automatic recount for this race. A challenge would generally have to follow certification as a legal action.

Has the result been certified?

Check the Mississippi Secretary of State for final certification. An AP call and a concession are not certification.

When does he take office?

January 3, 2027.

Can Colom vote on judicial nominees?

Yes, once he takes office, on any nominee brought to the full Senate. Committee assignments have not been announced.

What Happens Next?

Mississippi officials must complete the canvass and certification. Colom will then prepare to be sworn in with the new Congress in January 2027. His win is historic for Mississippi, and it also reverses a notable 2023 episode in which the senator he defeated stopped his judicial nomination.

Sources and Legal References

1. Associated Press election results, Mississippi U.S. Senate (Class II), as of November 12, 2026, 4:17 a.m. PKT
2. NPR/KNAU, “Democrat Scott Colom wins Mississippi Senate race,” November 11, 2026: https://www.knau.org/npr-news/2026-11-11/democrat-scott-colom-wins-mississippi-senate-race
3. Mississippi Free Press, “Cindy Hyde-Smith Concedes U.S. Senate Election to Scott Colom”: https://www.mississippifreepress.org/cindy-hyde-smith-concedes-u-s-senate-election-to-scott-colom/
4. WAPT, “Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith concedes Senate race against Scott Colom,” November 11, 2026: https://www.wapt.com/article/mississippi-senate-race-hyde-smith-concedes/74405237
5. The Hill, “Mississippi Senate stunner: Cindy Hyde-Smith concedes to Democrat Scott Colom”: https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/6165685-colom-mississippi-senate-ousts-hyde-smith/
6. Arab News/AFP, “Democrat Colom wins Mississippi Senate seat”: https://www.arabnews.com/world/democrat-colom-wins-mississippi-senate-seat-becomes-states-first-black-senator-since-1874-3011327
7. Boston 25 News/AP, “Mississippi elects Democrat Scott Colom as state’s first Black US senator since Reconstruction”: https://www.boston25news.com/news/politics/mississippi-elects/ABM7ZE4L7M7A3IFJ2SYMUVFUEI/
8. ABC News/ABC30, “What to know about recounts in Mississippi,” November 5, 2026: https://abc30.com/story/what-know-recounts-mississippi-razor-thin-margin-senate-race/20017446/
9. Newsweek, “Scott Colom vs. Cindy Hyde-Smith: How a Mississippi recount would work,” November 5, 2026: https://newsweek.com/scott-colom-vs-cindy-hyde-smith-how-a-mississippi-recount-would-work-12673006
10. NewsOne, “Mississippi Goddam: We Are Still Waiting For Ballots To Be Counted”: https://kysdc.com/5741934/mississippi-ballots-count-senate-race/
11. The Daily Beast, “She Denied Him the Bench. Now He’s Eyeing Her Seat”: https://www.thedailybeast.com/she-denied-him-the-bench-now-hes-eyeing-her-seat
12. CNN via KVIA, “Mississippi senator to face a prosecutor she blocked from the federal bench,” March 10, 2026: https://kvia.com/politics/cnn-us-politics/2026/03/10/mississippi-senator-to-face-a-prosecutor-she-blocked-from-the-federal-bench-cnn-projects/
13. Mississippi Today, “Blue slip process Sen. Hyde-Smith used to block federal judge”: https://ourtupelo.com/blue-slip-process-sen-hyde-smith-used-to-block-federal-judge-began-as-an-effort-to-preserve-jim-crow/
14. EURweb, “Scott Colom Makes History”: https://eurweb.com/scott-colom-mississippi-senate-victory/
15. Mississippi Secretary of State: https://www.sos.ms.gov/
16. U.S. Senate, Hiram Revels, first African American senator: https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/senate-stories/First-African-American-Senator.htm
17. U.S. Senate, Blanche K. Bruce biography: https://www.senate.gov/senators/FeaturedBios/Featured_Bio_Bruce.htm
18. U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 5; Article II, Section 2; Seventeenth and Twentieth Amendments: https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-transcript
19. Help America Vote Act, 52 U.S.C. § 21082 (provisional voting): https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/52/21082

Research and verification note: AP vote totals are as of the time stated and may have changed. Recount and certification details come from news reports and the Secretary of State’s office statements to ABC News, and readers should confirm current procedures with the Mississippi Secretary of State.

Last fact-checked: November 12, 2026

Byline: AllAboutLawyer.com Legal Content Research Team

Legal disclaimer: This article provides general U.S. legal and civic information, not legal advice. Election calls are not the same as certification. Any election litigation must be evaluated under applicable federal and state law.