Democrat Scott Colom flipped Mississippi’s United States Senate seat after a week of counting, in the closest Senate race in the country this year.
Story Highlights
- The Associated Press called the race for Scott Colom after late ballots were tallied.
- AP’s tally showed Colom ahead by about 4,669 votes with 99% reporting.
- Major outlets tracked a steady Colom lead as counts updated statewide.
- CBS labeled the result a confirmed Democratic pickup in Mississippi.
AP Call Caps A Week Of Counting In A Razor-Thin Finish
The Associated Press projected Scott Colom the winner after Mississippi processed outstanding absentee and affidavit ballots, ending more than a week of updates and scrutiny. NPR reported the AP estimate at 99% of votes counted, with Colom at 473,336 votes, or 49.2%, and Cindy Hyde-Smith at 468,667, or 48.7%. CBS News framed the outcome as a Democratic pickup, noting the upset nature of a flip in a deep-red state. The margin made this the tightest Senate race of the cycle.
Through the slow count, multiple outlets showed Colom holding a narrow edge. CNN listed Colom at 470,074 and Hyde-Smith at 467,084 with 98% reporting before the final AP call. CBS tracked a lead of more than 4,400 votes as late ballots came in, signaling the direction of the race even before final county actions wrapped up. These updates reflected routine reporting lags between counties and news models that estimate remaining votes.
Why This Close Race Drew Outsized Attention
The race stood out because Mississippi does not have an automatic statewide recount process. Unlike many states, Mississippi relies on certification, public ballot inspection, and potential court action rather than a standard recount trigger when margins are tight. Analysts explained that candidates cannot request an automatic recount under state law, so any further review would likely flow through litigation or targeted county-level challenges, if campaigns choose that path. That structure raises the stakes of the canvass and certification steps.
The finish also carried national weight. CBS reported Democrats gained their eighth flipped Senate seat with Colom’s win, a notable change in a state long seen as safe for Republicans. The upset narrative came from the state’s recent voting history and the late surge of absentee and affidavit ballots that kept margins tight until the AP call. Close races tend to focus public attention on how and when counties report, which can fuel confusion as figures shift during normal processing.
What The Numbers Do—and Do Not—Show Today
NPR’s report cited AP’s 99% estimate and a 4,669-vote edge for Colom. That placed him at 49.2% to Hyde-Smith’s 48.7% as the count neared its end. CNN’s earlier totals were lower for both candidates, reflecting an earlier snapshot at 98% reporting. These differences are common during rolling updates. CBS noted that county certifications were still pending during its coverage window, even as national outlets projected the winner based on available data.
In 2023, Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith blocked Scott Colom from becoming a federal judge.
Fast forward to 2026 and Scott Colom has defeated her to take her Senate seat 😩. You do me, I do you! This seat adds to the summation of the midterm wave. Oh Mississippi! You made history!— Solomon KandyTamatey (@kandysolomons) November 12, 2026
Media calls rely on math, not official certification. That can create a short gap between a projection and the formal state record. In Mississippi, that gap matters more because there is no automatic recount framework to resolve ultra-close contests. Still, experts point out that most statewide recounts in other places almost never change outcomes when margins are larger than a tiny fraction of a percent. Here, the margin was in the thousands, not dozens.
Why This Matters Beyond Party Lines
Voters on the right and left share a core concern: they want clear, trusted results without drama. This count ran long, and the numbers moved in public dashboards. That can test patience. Yet the reporting shows a steady, narrow advantage that held as absentee and affidavit ballots were processed, then an AP call once enough data was in. The process looked slow, not secret. The result in a deep-red state also reminds leaders that voters can still surprise them.
What To Watch Next In Mississippi
County certifications and any formal statements from campaigns will close the loop. CBS indicated counties still had uploads and certification steps ahead when it labeled the race a Democratic pickup based on projections. If any campaign seeks more review, Mississippi law points to court-driven paths rather than an off-the-shelf recount. For now, the clearest public marker is the Associated Press call and the late-count tallies showing Colom ahead by several thousand votes.
Sources:
cbsnews.com, npr.org, cnn.com, us.cnn.com
