Scott Colom, a Democrat and local prosecutor, has won a US Senate seat in Mississippi, a heavily Republican state. Projections by US news networks called the race on the evening of Wednesday 11 November 2026, and Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith conceded.
Colom will become the first Black person to represent Mississippi in the Senate since Reconstruction, the period after the US Civil War. The Senate votes on trade, sanctions and ambassadors that touch Latin America, so every seat shapes what Washington can do in the region.
- Who: Scott Colom, 43, a Democrat and district attorney, beat Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith.
- Result: 49.2% to 48.7%, with independent candidate Ty Pinkins just over 2%.
- Margin: Colom led by 4,669 votes on 11 November 2026.
- When: Election Day was Tuesday 3 November 2026; the race was called on Wednesday 11 November.
- As of: 12 November 2026, 12:00 GMT
What Happened in Mississippi
Mississippi voted on Tuesday 3 November 2026, and the count stayed close for days. On 11 November Colom led Hyde-Smith by 4,669 votes.
Hyde-Smith, a Republican who won a 2018 special election to hold the seat, conceded in a video and called Colom. Independent candidate Ty Pinkins took just over 2% of the vote.
Who Is Scott Colom
Colom is 43 and works as a district attorney, the elected local prosecutor in his area of Mississippi. He ran as a Democrat in a state that has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1982.
His win comes as the two parties fight for control of the Senate after the 3 November midterm elections. Our earlier report covered the two Senate races that were still open after the midterms.
Why It Matters Beyond US Borders
The Senate confirms ambassadors, ratifies treaties and votes on sanctions and trade bills that affect Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela, Cuba and the rest of Latin America. A single seat rarely changes a vote, but it moves the margin on close ones.
Alaska’s race was the last Senate contest still uncalled. Our Latin America coverage tracks how US politics reaches the region.
What Is Not Known
We have not seen certified results, so the final margin may change slightly. The race for Alaska’s Senate seat was still uncalled at the last count, so the full balance of the new Senate is not settled.
What It Means for You
For investors and policy watchers, the result is one more sign of how tight the fight for the Senate is. Readers in the United States can expect Latin America bills on sanctions, trade and aid to depend on a narrow margin of votes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Mississippi Senate race?
Democrat Scott Colom beat Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, 49.2% to 48.7%. News networks called the race on Wednesday 11 November 2026.
Is Scott Colom the first Black senator from Mississippi?
He will be the first Black person to represent Mississippi in the Senate since Reconstruction. That was the period after the US Civil War, when two Black men served the state in the Senate.
How close was the vote?
Colom’s lead was 4,669 votes on 11 November 2026. Independent candidate Ty Pinkins took just over 2% of the vote.
Sources: Unofficial Mississippi election results (Secretary of State, sos.ms.gov), 11 November 2026; Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith’s concession statement, 11 November 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. The Rio Times also runs Ask Rio Times, which answers from 100,000+ of our own articles, the daily Latin America Power Map, and prediction-market odds on elections and markets.. How we use AI · Report an error