# Democrat Scott Colom wins Mississippi Senate seat

> Scott Colom defeats Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith in the closest Senate race in the country, expanding the Democratic majority to 55 seats.
- Title: Democrat Scott Colom wins Mississippi Senate seat · NPR
- Summary: Scott Colom defeats Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith in the closest Senate race in the country, expanding the Democratic majority to 55 seats.
- Keywords: scott colom, cindy hyde-smith, mississippi senate race, 2026 midterms, democrats, republicans, black voter turnout, NPR
- Source: NPR — https://npr.org/2026/11/11/g-s1-151688/mississippi-senate-race-scott-colom
- Published: 2026-11-11T00:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: scott colom, cindy hyde-smith, mississippi senate race, 2026 midterms, democrats, republicans, black voter turnout, news
## Colom defeats Hyde-Smith
Democrat Scott Colom has won election to the U.S. Senate from Mississippi, according to the Associated Press, narrowly defeating Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith.
## Closest race in the country
After more than a week of counting outstanding absentee and provisional ballots, Colom won by just a few thousand votes in the closest Senate race in the country.
## Democrats gain 55 Senate seats
Colom's victory expands the majority Democrats will have in the new Congress to fifty-five seats, with the race in Alaska still undecided.
## Historic shift in the South
Mississippi has the highest share of Black voters in the country at close to forty percent. The state hasn't elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate in more than forty years.
## Cost of living drove the race
Colom, a district attorney, made cost of living a centerpiece of his campaign, decrying Cindy High-Prices as bad for Mississippi. The state's rural economy was hit hard by rising prices.

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## Hyde-Smith concedes the race
Hyde-Smith conceded in a video posted to social media, saying she respects the decision of Mississippi voters and congratulated Colom on his victory.

> While this is not the outcome we worked for or hoped for, I respect the decision of Mississippi voters.
## Key takeaway

Democrat Scott Colom won Mississippi's U.S. Senate race against Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith by a few thousand votes, giving Democrats 55 seats in the new Congress.