Scott Colom's Senate bid could make history as Mississippi counts votes

Mississippi is still tallying ballots that could make Democrat Scott Colom the first Black senator from the Deep South state since post-Civil War Reconstruction, a historic possibility that has energized Black voters. Colom, a 43-year-old local prosecutor, trails or leads Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith by a razor-thin margin, with absentee and affidavit ballots being examined across 82 counties before deadlines next week. Nearly 40% of Mississippi's population is Black, but white conservatives have dominated top representation for generations. The outcome would not change Senate control, as Democrats already hold the majority, but it would mark a seismic shift in Mississippi. Colom has emphasized representing all residents, while supporters cite the legacy of civil rights leaders like Medgar Evers in their push for proportional representation.