Democrats Eye Mississippi Senate Seat in 2026: Can Scott Colom Flip a Deep-Red State?

Jackson, Mississippi — The idea that Democrats could win the Mississippi Senate race in 2026 might seem laughable to some. But after months of conversations with party officials and operatives, the race is generating serious buzz—and not just dismissive eyerolls.

Mississippi, a state Donald Trump carried by a 23-point margin in 2020, is now being discussed as a potential pickup opportunity for Democrats. The reasons? A charismatic Democratic candidate at the top of the ticket, strong mobilization of the state’s large Black electorate, and a Republican incumbent widely seen as vulnerable.

Longtime Democratic strategist James Carville, who splits time between Mississippi and Louisiana, put it bluntly:

“It would take a unique set of circumstances, but we just might be operating under a unique set of circumstances.”

After enough influential Democrats echoed similar sentiments, the hype became impossible to ignore. A recent trip down I-55—a highway paralleling the Mississippi River, lined with cypress-dotted bayous—offered a firsthand look at the Democratic campaign in action.

Scott Colom, the Democratic Senate candidate, spent the day on the campaign trail. Now 43, Colom is a district attorney, a Mississippi State sports fan, and a father of two young girls. Politics runs in his family: His mother was an elected judge, and his father ran for office as a Republican in the 1980s before switching to the Democratic Party.

Colom’s political résumé includes a 2022 nomination to a federal judgeship by President Joe Biden. However, his confirmation was blocked by Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith—the Republican incumbent he’s now challenging—despite receiving approval from Sen. Roger Wicker.

During a recent campaign stop, Colom sat in the backseat of his pickup truck, surrounded by pickleball equipment and footballs, sipping from a perpetually refilled to-go coffee cup. He made it clear his campaign isn’t about personal retribution.

“As a Christian, I really had to forgive people.”

Yet Hyde-Smith’s record is what drove him to run. Democrats argue she is uniquely vulnerable. Unlike many incumbents, Hyde-Smith—appointed to the Senate in 2018 to replace Thad Cochran—rarely holds town halls or engages with constituents. In a state that ranks as the poorest in the nation, Colom contends Mississippians are desperate for a senator who delivers tangible results.

That’s a familiar theme for any challenger facing an incumbent. But in Mississippi, where Trump’s dominance has long overshadowed Democratic hopes, the circumstances may finally be aligning for a breakthrough.