Will Mississippi send a Black Democrat to the US Senate? Scott Colom says don’t count him out

Scott Colom, a Black Democrat U.S. Senate candidate from Mississippi, is challenging the status quo in a state historically dominated by white conservative Republicans. Born and raised in Mississippi, Colom has a Republican father who supported Ronald Reagan and was friends with political heavyweight Thad Cochran. Despite this background, Colom identifies as a Democrat and a Black man, placing him in an underdog position against Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith, a staunch ally of Donald Trump.

Colom's unique profile and the broader context of Mississippi's demographics, ongoing inflation, and Hyde-Smith's relatively low public profile create an intriguing and unpredictable political landscape. With just a few days before the campaign kickoff, Colom has been campaigning tirelessly, emphasizing his ability to flip the traditional script and portray Hyde-Smith as a puppet of the Republican Party.

He has criticized Hyde-Smith for allegedly abandoning the concerns of Mississippi voters, particularly in regard to Trump's tariffs, the Iran war, and the Republican-controlled Congress' perceived betrayal of their constituents.

While Hyde-Smith's campaign has declined to comment, her manager has dismissed Colom as a "stooge" of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and billionaire George Soros, both of whom have made donations to Colom's prior district attorney campaigns.