By Islam El-Sakka
The Mississippi U.S. Senate race between Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith and Democratic challenger Scott Colom remains uncalled as of Wednesday, with both candidates at 48.9% and separated by just 65 votes after 96% of expected votes reported.
No formal recount process
Mississippi has no formal recount process, the Secretary of State's office confirmed. Candidates cannot request a recount, nor is one automatically triggered. Instead, a candidate may conduct a "ballot box exam" after certification and file a legal challenge if issues are found.
Outstanding ballots could shift outcome
Mail ballots postmarked by Election Day can arrive until Nov. 10, and provisional ballots — known as affidavit ballots in Mississippi — remain uncounted. Colom's campaign estimates up to 15,000 provisional ballots; the Secretary of State's office has no definitive number. The certification deadline is Nov. 13.
Unexpectedly close in deep-red state
The tight margin is surprising in a state that backed Donald Trump with 61% in 2024 and re-elected Hyde-Smith with 54% in 2020. Colom, a district attorney and former federal judicial nominee, would be Mississippi's first Black U.S. senator since Reconstruction. The state has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1982.
Trump rallied for incumbent
Trump rallied for Hyde-Smith last month, calling Colom "the most radical Senate candidate to run for Mississippi." Colom responded that many supporters couldn't afford travel to the rally.
