Sen.-elect Scott Colom (D-MS) pulled off one of the most unexpected victories of the 2026 midterm elections, unseating Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) and ending more than four decades of Democratic losses in the state’s Senate races.

Colom, a district attorney who had been largely overlooked by national political observers for much of the campaign, narrowly defeated Hyde-Smith in a race that was called more than a week after Election Day. His campaign gained national traction with a series of unconventional advertisements, including a viral spot mocking Hyde-Smith’s response to questions about rising beef prices.

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