Why AP called the Mississippi Senate race for Scott Colom - AP News

AP Calls Mississippi Senate Race for Democrat Scott Colom

Following more than a week of processing outstanding absentee, affidavit, and provisional ballots, the Associated Press called the Mississippi U.S. Senate race for Democrat Scott Colom. Colom narrowly defeated incumbent Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith by just a few thousand votes, concluding the closest Senate contest in the nation.

The victory marks a notable political milestone for Mississippi, which has the highest share of Black voters in the country at nearly 40%. The state had not elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate in more than 40 years, nor had it sent a Black senator to Washington since the Reconstruction era. Colom's campaign focused heavily on economic concerns, particularly the rising cost of living, while Hyde-Smith conceded the race shortly after the race call.

With this outcome, the Democratic majority in the incoming U.S. Senate expands to 55 seats, leaving only the race in Alaska undecided.