From BBC News · · 2m
Mississippi Senate race hangs on thousands of uncounted ballots
Scott Colom's razor-thin lead over incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith could deliver Mississippi its first Democratic senator in nearly four decades, but thousands of ballots remain to be counted.
In brief
Scott Colom's razor-thin lead over incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith could deliver Mississippi its first Democratic senator in nearly four decades, but thousands of ballots remain to be counted. Democrat Scott Colom leads Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith by about twenty-five hundred ballots in Mississippi's Senate race, with…
Colom leads by twenty-five hundred votes
Democrat Scott Colom holds a lead of about two thousand five hundred ballots, less than one percent, over Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi's Senate race.
First black senator in one hundred forty years
If Colom wins, he would become Mississippi's first black senator in over one hundred forty years and pad the Democratic Senate majority-elect to fifty-five seats.
Thousands of ballots still uncounted
State officials estimate between twelve thousand and twenty thousand affidavit ballots were cast. As of Tuesday morning, roughly fifteen thousand five hundred had been processed.
Affidavit ballots explained
Affidavit ballots were not immediately accepted because of a discrepancy such as lacking proper ID on election day. Voters fill out a provisional ballot and return to resolve the issue.
Young voters see historic opportunity
At Jackson State University, a historically black college, first-time voters spoke of their excitement at the possibility of Mississippi turning blue.
“I really feel like a change is what we need.”
Trump voters blame broken promises
In Brookhaven, where Trump won seventy-two percent of votes two years ago, Trump supporter Keith Scott said the president had not delivered during his second term, driving the unexpectedly close race.
“Trump and his administration did not hold up what they ran on. Bottom line.”
Cost of living fuels voter frustration
Voters in Brookhaven cited high gas and grocery prices as reasons for dissatisfaction. Lifelong Republican Lee Barry said high prices hurt Hyde-Smith and that she should have campaigned more.
“The price on gas is really high, so that cuts into your pocket.”
Colom's campaign strategy
Local prosecutor Colom highlighted Hyde-Smith's support for Trump's tariffs, giving her the nickname Cindy High Prices. He campaigned aggressively, visiting all of Mississippi's eighty-two counties.
Black voters shift further left
Early exit polls show Mississippi's black voters, who historically vote Democrat, drifted even further to the left this year, giving Democrats ninety-one percent of their votes.
The essence
Democrat Scott Colom leads Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith by about twenty-five hundred ballots in Mississippi's Senate race, with between twelve thousand and twenty thousand affidavit ballots still uncounted before Friday's certification deadline.