Mississippi Senate Race Too Close to Call After Election

The U.S. Senate race in Mississippi remains undecided following the November 3, 2026, election. Incumbent Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith and Democratic challenger Scott Colom are locked in a narrow contest that has shifted as more votes are tallied. Early unofficial results showed Hyde-Smith with a slight lead of 49.8% to Colom's 48.1%, but later updates with 97% of votes counted showed Colom leading by a slim margin of 28 votes, with 462,779 votes to Hyde-Smith's 462,751.

Independent candidate Ty Pinkins received approximately 2.1% of the vote. The final result may take several days to determine due to more than 15,000 outstanding affidavit ballots and incomplete reporting from 29 of the state's 82 counties. The Mississippi Secretary of State's office also reported a significant increase in absentee ballots, totaling 116,453.

Colom, a district attorney from Columbus, campaigned on raising the minimum wage and improving healthcare. If elected, he would be the first African American elected to a statewide seat in Mississippi since the Reconstruction era. Hyde-Smith focused her campaign on conservative policies and the agenda of Donald Trump. The two candidates have a contentious history, as Hyde-Smith previously blocked Colom's 2023 appointment to a federal judgeship.

While the Senate race remains undecided, other Mississippi congressional contests were settled more quickly. Republican incumbents Trent Kelly and Michael Guest secured dominant leads, and Democratic incumbent Bennie Thompson was reelected to an 18th term.