Mississippi Senate race: Hyde-Smith and Colom face off in 2026

Mississippi Senate race: Hyde-Smith and Colom face off in 2026

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Control of Congress Rests on Five Mississippi Races in 2026 Midterms

Control of Congress is at stake Tuesday as voters across the country head to the polls. Five Mississippi races could help determine whether Republicans or Democrats hold majorities in the U.S. House and Senate for the second half of President Donald Trump’s second term.

Voters are casting ballots for one of Mississippi’s two U.S. Senate seats alongside all four of the state’s congressional districts. Every single incumbent faces a challenger in a landscape crowded with Republican, Democratic, Libertarian, and independent hopefuls.

Hyde-Smith and Colom Headline Contentious Senate Race

Because U.S. Senate seats are intentionally staggered, just one of Mississippi’s two seats is on the ballot Tuesday. Following Republican Sen. Roger Wicker’s victory in 2024, fellow Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith is defending her seat for a second six-year term.

Democrat Scott Colom, who works as the district attorney for Mississippi’s 16th Judicial District out of Columbus, is running against Hyde-Smith. Colom has maintained a competitive fundraising pace while pitching a bipartisan message to voters.

“Work with any party.”

Colom has promised if elected to the Senate, aligning with national Democrats on safeguarding Medicaid and analyzing the ongoing data-center surge while breaking with his party to back gun rights, enhanced southern border security, and aid for struggling farmers.

President Donald Trump’s backing, alongside mutual support, tax cuts, gun rights, restrictions on abortion, border security, and a focus on rural and agricultural communities, forms the core of the conservative platform that Hyde-Smith has heavily emphasized. Both candidates have zeroed in on persistent inflation and high everyday costs for necessities.

Mississippi Senate race: Hyde-Smith and Colom face off in 2026

National political heavyweights have poured into the state to rally their bases. Hyde-Smith hosted President Trump for a rally in Corinth, while Colom brought in former Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Bill Clinton for separate campaign stops.

The race has grown intensely bitter. Mudslinging escalated over a year ago when Colom released a social media video featuring a fake phone call with Hyde-Smith. In response, Hyde-Smith launched a fake campaign website labeling Colom a “transgender defender.”

Meanwhile, Vicksburg attorney and Army veteran Ty Pinkins remains on the ballot as an independent candidate. Despite pressure from voters urging him to step aside to prevent splitting the vote, Pinkins announced on October 27 that he would not withdraw his bid in the days leading up to Election Day.

All Four U.S. House Seats Feature Contested Field

Every single congressional district in Mississippi features at least three candidates on the ballot as voters weigh local representation against national partisan control.

An interior view of the senate chamber in the mississippi state house
  • 1st Congressional District: Republican incumbent Rep. Trent Kelly faces civil rights attorney Cliff Johnson, who directs the University of Mississippi School of Law MacArthur Justice Center and runs as a Democrat. Libertarian Johnny Baucom is also on the ballot across the 21 northeastern counties, including Oxford, Tupelo, and Southaven.
  • 2nd Congressional District: Democratic incumbent Rep. Bennie Thompson seeks an 18th term, having first taken office in 1993. He faces Republican Ron Eller, a Jackson-based physician assistant, and independent Bennie Foster, a church chief operating officer, across 28 counties stretching along the Mississippi River and the Delta.
  • 3rd Congressional District: Republican incumbent Rep. Michael Guest is challenged by regenerative farmer and Democratic candidate Michael Chiaradio, alongside Libertarian Erik Kiehle, a property manager and volunteer firefighter from Meridian.
  • 4th Congressional District: Republican incumbent Rep. Mike Ezell, the newest of Mississippi’s delegation, is seeking a second term. He faces Democratic state lawmaker Jeffrey Hulum III and independent produce farmer Carl Boyanton across the Pine Belt and the Coast.

What Voters Need to Know at the Polls

Polls across Mississippi remain open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Any registered voter standing in line by 7 p.m. is legally permitted to cast a ballot. Voters must present an acceptable form of photo identification, such as a driver’s license or passport.

Mississippi Senate Race Preview: Can Democrat Scott Colom Beat Cindy Hyde Smith?

Election officials urge voters to verify their designated polling places and review sample ballots ahead of time. Live results and reporting trackers will be broadcast on SuperTalk Mississippi News stations statewide and updated online at their elections portal.

More on this story: Mississippi Senate race dominated by aggressive attack ads · Independent Ty Pinkins Refuses to Drop Out of Mississippi Senate Race

More on Senate: Seven Senate Races to Decide Control of the Chamber on November 3 · Louisiana Senate race: Early vote boosts Jamie Davis – WDSU · Maine Senate Race: Collins and Jackson Clash Over Energy Costs

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