Scott Colom Flips Red Mississippi County Named for KKK's First Grand Wizard
The Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate is seeking to become the Magnolia State's first Black senator in 145 years.
Scott Colom, Mississippi's Democratic U.S. Senate candidate, has reversed Forrest County's longstanding Republican allegiance, shifting the predominantly Black town of Hattiesburg from 18 points to 29 points in his favor. Colom leads incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith by 1,813 votes, 49 percent to 48.9 percent, as of 96 percent of votes counted.
Despite the close statewide contest remaining undecided, Colom expressed confidence in winning once the outstanding ballots are counted. The result marks a significant local boost for Colom, as Forrest County, named after the Ku Klux Klan's first Grand Wizard, Nathan Bedford Forrest, has historically leaned Republican. The victory highlights the pressure on Republicans nationally and underscores Hattiesburg's role in Mississippi's civil rights movement.
Written by urgent.news from Newsweek's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
