Democrat Scott Colom won a surprising victory in the US Senate race in Mississippi, defeating Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith to become the state's first Black senator since the Reconstruction era following the US Civil War. This outcome was one of the final races to be called after the elections on Tuesday, where Democrats gained a majority in both chambers of the US Congress. Colom, a 43-year-old district attorney, became the first Democrat to win a Mississippi Senate seat since John Stennis in 1982. Hyde-Smith, who ran as a write-in candidate, had polled well but was ultimately defeated by Colom, who at times led by only a few dozen votes. The recount process, which took days, was exceptionally close. A spokesman for Hyde-Smith confirmed her concession to Colom. Meanwhile, Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer congratulated Colom, acknowledging the significant achievement of winning a Senate seat in the South. Colom’s campaign strategy emphasized town hall meetings and visits to public housing, festivals, and food trucks. He stated that one of the key factors in his victory was that Mississippi voters felt “betrayed” by Trump’s policies, particularly the Iran war which had raised fuel prices. On the campaign trail, Colom's rallies with Democratic Senators Raphael Warnock and Cory Booker of Georgia provided significant support.