Colom Changed a Long Shot in Mississippi Into a Race Still Too Close to Call

Mississippi race remains unsettled

Scott Colom holds a small lead over incumbent Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi. The state has not sent a Democratic senator to Washington since the Reconstruction era. Election officials are still counting votes. Mississippi has no recount laws, leaving questions about what steps may follow; the article gives no final result.

Democrats take congressional control

Democrats won a string of historic midterm victories over Republicans, taking control of both chambers of Congress. All 435 House seats and 35 of the Senate’s 100 seats were contested.

With most preliminary results declared, Democrats were expected to hold at least 54 Senate seats. Their wins included former Republican strongholds such as Texas, Kansas, South Carolina, Ohio, Maine and Iowa.

Trump faces voter backlash

The 2026 midterms were viewed as a referendum on Donald Trump’s second presidency. Democratic candidates pointed to rising living costs and economic effects from the Iran war, among other concerns, as voters turned out in record numbers. After the results, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said, “The days of Trump’s supplicant Senate are over.” Trump told Fox News he thought Democrats “did a good job.”

Notable Senate victories

In Texas, voters elected Democrat James Talarico, the first Democrat from the state to win a Senate seat in nearly 40 years. In South Carolina, Annie Andrews defeated Trump-backed Republican Darline Graham, sister of the late senator and Trump ally Lindsey Graham.

Michigan voters elected progressive Democrat Abdul El-Sayed over Trump-backed Republican Mike Rogers. El-Sayed will be the first Muslim senator in American history. In Georgia, Senator Jon Ossoff celebrated his re-election, saying the country’s task was to address both the president’s conduct and deeper divisions.

Trump sets limits on cooperation

Trump signaled he was willing to work with Democrats during the last two years of his term. He ruled out compromise on his immigration agenda and transgender rights, issues that featured prominently in Republican campaigns.

He also said he would use his veto power against measures he considered unacceptable. A final result in Alaska’s close Senate contest was not expected soon as officials counted remaining ranked-choice ballots.