Democrat Scott Colom widened his lead over Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith to 2,574 votes in the Mississippi Senate race on Saturday, but the contest is still too close to call, with about 31,000 ballots left to count.
NBC News results put Colom on 467,930 votes, or 49.1 percent, against 465,356 votes, or 48.8 percent, for Hyde-Smith. Independent candidate Ty Pinkins held 20,028 votes, or 2.1 percent. In total, 953,314 votes have been counted, close to 96.9 percent of the vote expected.
Colom’s edge has grown a little each day. He led by only 43 votes on Wednesday morning. By Friday, the gap had passed 2,000 votes. The steady rise has come as counties work through affidavit ballots, the votes cast by people who did not show ID at the polling station or were listed as inactive voters.
Vote Count So Far
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scott Colom | Democrat | 467,930 | 49.1% |
| Cindy Hyde-Smith | Republican | 465,356 | 48.8% |
| Ty Pinkins | Independent | 20,028 | 2.1% |
| Total counted | — | 953,314 | 96.9% |
Hyde-Smith would need to win 53.2 percent of the votes still to be counted to catch Colom. That is a steep ask, but the race is not over while thousands of ballots remain uncounted.
Why Race Remains Uncalled
News outlets call a race only when the votes still out cannot change the result. That point has not been reached in Mississippi. About 31,000 votes are still expected, and the margin between the two main candidates is far smaller than that number.
Two deadlines will shape the finish. Mail ballots postmarked by Election Day, November 3, still count if they reach election offices by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, November 10. Voters who cast affidavit ballots have the same deadline to show a valid ID. Counties must then send certified results to the Secretary of State by November 13.
Mississippi has no automatic recount. A candidate who falls behind can go to court and ask for one, which could slow the finish further. The state Republican Party has already sent more than 50 lawyers and volunteer observers to watch the count. Party chair Mike Hurst called the affidavit ballot numbers “very abnormal” and said the party is confident Hyde-Smith will keep the seat.
Why Mississippi Result Matters
Mississippi has not elected a Democrat to the United States Senate since 1982, nearly 44 years ago. Donald Trump won the state by 20 points in the 2024 presidential election. That history is what makes this close race so striking. Compared with the 2024 presidential vote, the Senate race has shifted 23.16 points toward the Democrats.
Colom, 43, is a district attorney from the north-east of the state. He built his campaign around the cost of living and health care, the two issues voters raised most. Hyde-Smith, 67, has held the Senate seat since 2018 and is seeking another term.
One advert defined the race. It replayed Hyde-Smith telling voters worried about beef prices that they “have so many proteins to choose from”. The ad answered back with voters saying they would “rather pick another senator instead”. The clip spread widely online and turned the price of everyday food into the central issue of the campaign.
Democrats have already won control of Congress in the midterm elections. This seat will decide how large their majority in the Senate becomes. A Colom win in a state this Republican would also mark one of the biggest upsets of the midterms, and a warning sign for the party in power ahead of the next national vote.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who leads the Mississippi Senate race?
Democrat Scott Colom leads Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith by 2,574 votes, 49.1 percent to 48.8 percent, with 96.9 percent of the expected vote counted. Independent Ty Pinkins has 2.1 percent.
When will we know the winner?
Mail ballots and voter ID checks for affidavit ballots close on November 10, and counties must certify results by November 13. The race could still take days to settle, and a court-ordered recount is possible.
Why is the race so close?
Colom campaigned on the cost of living, led by a viral advert about beef prices, in a state where Democrats have not won a Senate seat since 1982. The vote has moved more than 23 points toward Democrats since the 2024 presidential election.
