Mississippi elects first Black senator in over 140 years

Democrat Scott Colom defeated incumbent Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi's U.S. Senate race, according to NBC News. This victory marks Colom as the first Black senator elected in Mississippi since the Reconstruction era over 140 years ago.

NBC News also reported that Colom is the first Democratic senator from Mississippi in nearly 45 years, highlighting the significance of this election in a traditionally Republican state.

ABC News and the Associated Press projected Colom's win, noting that he flipped a Republican seat in the predominantly red state. With nearly all votes counted, Colom led by about 4,700 votes, securing 49.2% compared to Hyde-Smith's 48.7%.

Colom, a district attorney for four counties along the Mississippi-Alabama border and a former nominee for a U.S. district judgeship, referenced Mississippi's history of racial injustice and civil rights activism in his victory speech, pledging to serve all residents of the state.

His election is part of a broader trend, as it represents the eighth Senate seat pickup for Democrats in the current election cycle, with one race in Alaska still undecided.

The historic nature of Colom's win was underscored by his mention of Hiram Rhodes Revels, the first Black U.S. senator in American history, and civil rights leader Medgar Evers, both from Mississippi.