Democrat Scott Colom’s lead widens in Mississippi Senate race
MS NOW reports that ballots were still being counted four days after Mississippi's Senate election, with lawyers for both parties preparing for a possible legal fight and outstanding absentee and provisional ballots due by 10 November 2026; the Associated Press put Democrat Scott Colom ahead of Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith by 2,574 votes with 97% of expected votes counted. Secretary of State Michael Watson urged patience, saying his office has used every resource to keep elections secure, while Hyde-Smith's campaign expects remaining Republican-county votes to favor her and Colom, whom MS NOW says could make Mississippi's first Black senator since Reconstruction, blames Watson in part for voters' difficulties and pushes for early voting and a federal Election Day holiday.
