In Mississippi, voters await cliffhanger Senate result with hope and frustration
Mississippi's Senate race remains undecided as officials process thousands of affidavit and mail-in ballots. Democrat Scott Colom holds a narrow lead over Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith in a contest that could result in the state's first Black senator in over 140 years.
Why it matters
The outcome could impact the balance of power in the US Senate and represents a significant potential shift in Mississippi's political landscape.
Figure caption, Watch: BBC talks to Mississippi voters awaiting the Senate result
Mississippi's nailbiting wait to find out who won the southern state's Senate race is nearly over a week after the US midterm elections, in a contest that could deliver their first Democratic senator in nearly four decades.
Scott Colom, the Democrat, holds a lead of about 2,500 ballots - less than 1% - over his Republican opponent, the incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith, according to the latest tally.
If he wins, Colom would become the Magnolia State's first black senator in over 140 years.
He would also pad the Democratic Senate majority-elect to 55 seats, with a knife-edge race in Alaska still to be called.
The Democrat's razor-thin advantage has defied political gravity in a conservative fortress that President Donald Trump won in 2024 by over 22 points.
Also covering this story
4 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
Democrat Scott Colom wins Mississippi Senate race
Democrat Scott Colom becomes Mississippi's first Black senator since 1874
How Scott Colom defied Democratic doubters to make Mississippi a battleground
Mississippi Senate: Scott Colom extends tight lead over Hyde-Smith as ballot deadlines hit - CNBC
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