Democrat Colom leads Hyde-Smith by 3,041 in Mississippi Senate race
What's next: Mississippi officials face a Friday certification deadline, with affidavit and mailed ballots still under scrutiny and legal challenges possible.
Democratic nominee Scott Colom widened his lead over incumbent Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith to 3,041 votes in Mississippi's unresolved Senate race, with about 98% of ballots counted. Colom held 49.11% to Hyde-Smith's 48.79%, while independent Ty Pinkins drew 2.1%. The remaining uncertainty centered on Hinds County, home to Jackson, where commissioners were set to determine how many ballots were accepted or rejected. Tuesday was the deadline to resolve affidavit ballots and receive absentee ballots postmarked by Election Day. If Colom holds on through certification, he would become Mississippi's first Black senator since the Reconstruction Era and extend Democrats' Senate majority.