Key Points: Who Won Mississippi Senate
- As of Wednesday evening, November 4, 2026, the Associated Press had not called the Mississippi Senate race between Scott Colom and Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith.
- Colom has led by only dozens of votes in several reports, out of more than 925,000 cast.
- Mail ballots and affidavit ballots must be in or verified by Tuesday, November 10.
- Mississippi has no standard recount process, so court challenges are possible.
- If Colom wins, he would be the first Democrat elected to the Senate from Mississippi since 1982.
Who Won Mississippi Senate? Not Yet, According to the AP
The short answer is that nobody has been declared the winner. The AP’s race page said the count was unfinished and no call had been made.
On Wednesday morning, WLBT reported Colom ahead 462,821 to 462,778, a 43-vote lead. NBC News later put the gap at 65 votes with about 95 percent counted.
Totals have moved through the day, so check the AP or the Secretary of State for the latest.
When Will Mississippi Be Called?
Probably early next week. NBC and Yahoo’s coverage point to Tuesday, November 10 as a key date.
That is the last day for mail ballots to arrive and for voters to fix their affidavit ballots by showing ID. Counties then need time to review them.
So the question of when the Mississippi Senate race will be called depends on how close the final count is.
What Are Affidavit and Provisional Ballots?
An affidavit ballot is Mississippi’s version of a provisional ballot. A voter casts one when something about their eligibility is in question, such as a missing ID.
The Colom campaign estimates 10,000 to 15,000 are outstanding, according to Mississippi Today. In 2022, the state had about 5,700, a point Yahoo noted.
About 6,000 mail ballots had been sent out but not returned as of Monday, according to state data cited by NBC.
The Angle Few People Notice: Mississippi’s Own Supreme Court Case
Here is a detail that deserves more attention. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court heard Watson v. Republican National Committee, a case about Mississippi’s rule for late-arriving mail ballots.
The justices said states may count ballots postmarked by Election Day, even if they arrive afterward. Mississippi gives voters five business days.
Counting those days from November 3 lands on November 10. In other words, the case that started in Mississippi may now shape the outcome of its own Senate seat.
What Each Campaign Is Saying
Hyde-Smith nearly declared victory Tuesday night, saying she expected to win by Wednesday morning. She also claimed record Republican turnout and said some polling places in Republican areas had problems.
Her campaign manager, Jake Monssen, now says thousands of ballots remain and that the campaign is confident she will prevail. Gov. Tate Reeves also said he expects her to keep the seat.
Colom said, “We’re prepared to litigate,” and joked about her early victory talk with the words “Bless her heart.”
Does Mississippi Have a Recount or a Runoff?
Mississippi has no standard recount process, NBC News reported, which is unusual. Ole Miss election law professor Ben Griffith said challenges are limited and would likely go to court.
On runoffs, Magnolia Tribune reported there is none in this race, even if no one reaches a majority. The state used a runoff in the 2018 special election for this seat.
Independent Ty Pinkins, who got about 2.1 percent, said he did not mean to hurt Colom’s chances.
Did Mississippi Turn Blue?
Not yet, and probably not in a lasting sense. Mississippi is a red state, and Donald Trump won it by more than 20 points in 2024.
A single close Senate race does not change that. Still, Colom ran ahead of recent Democrats in many counties, and he drew strong numbers in Hinds County and the Delta.
Before the vote, polls mostly showed Hyde-Smith up 3 to 6 points, and most forecasters rated the race safely Republican.
When Was the Last Time Mississippi Had a Democratic Senator?
The last Democrat elected to the Senate from Mississippi was John Stennis in 1982. He served until January 1989.
If Colom wins, he would also be the first Black senator from Mississippi since Blanche K. Bruce left office in 1881. Both would be historic firsts.
Colom is the district attorney for four north Mississippi counties, and Hyde-Smith blocked his judicial nomination in 2023.
What About the Mississippi Governor?
There is no governor’s race in Mississippi this year. The state elects its governor in odd-numbered years, so the next vote is in 2027.
Four U.S. House races were also on the ballot, and most were called quickly.
What to Watch Next
Watch the remaining counts in Hinds County and along the Coast, along with any court filings. Also watch the November 10 deadline for mail and affidavit ballots.
For readers, the key point is patience. The Mississippi midterms are down to a few ballots, and the final answer will come from careful counting.