Democrat Scott Colom wins Mississippi's US Senate race as Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith concedes

JACKSON, Miss. (Nov. 11) — Democrat Scott Colom has won Mississippi's US Senate race, defeating Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith after more than a week of ballot counting, The Associated Press reported Wednesday.

The AP called the race after several counties reported updated results, including the last provisional ballots to be counted. Colom led by just 43 votes after the final election-night update, which came in from Pike County at 3:03 a.m. ET, and his lead had grown to 4,669 votes by Wednesday, the AP said in explaining its call.

Hyde-Smith, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump and was seeking a second term, conceded in a video message Wednesday evening. "While this is not the outcome we worked for or hoped for, I respect the decision of Mississippi voters," she said, NBC News reported. "I want to congratulate Scott Colom and wish him well as he takes on the tremendous responsibility of representing our great state." Colom's campaign told NBC News that Hyde-Smith also called him to concede.

Colom, a district attorney, will be Mississippi's first Black US senator since the Reconstruction era after the Civil War, according to the AP. He is also the first Democrat the state has elected to the Senate since 1982, NBC News reported.

The win means Democrats will hold at least 55 Senate seats next year, according to NBC News, which said the only Senate race left to be called is in Alaska. Colom is the eighth Democrat to flip a Republican-held Senate seat this year, NBC News reported. The Hill reported that its partner Decision Desk HQ projected the race for Colom shortly after Hyde-Smith conceded, with Colom at 49.18% of the vote to about 48.72% for Hyde-Smith with 95% of the vote counted.

Colom was expected to speak to supporters at a victory party later Wednesday night, NBC News reported.