MISSISSIPPI IN PLAY: WSJ, AP Spotlight Scott Colom’s Surging U.S. Senate Campaign As Polls Tighten

Former Hinds County Republican Party Chair: “It’s not the red state anybody says it is”

WSJ: “Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has told donors at fundraisers and dinners in recent months to consider putting money into Mississippi”

Recent polling shows the race in a dead heat, with Colom pulling ahead once voters hear about both candidates

Jackson, MS – In case you missed it, the Wall Street Journal and Associated Press just profiled District Attorney Scott Colom’s surging Senate campaign and why Democrats are bullish on Mississippi – and why Republicans are scared. Mississippi is in play because voters across the state are angry with incumbent Hyde-Smith’s record of raising costs for Mississippi families, supporting the Iran War, and blocking the release of the Epstein files, which the Colom campaign spotlighted today in its new six-figure ad campaign “Lost Her Way.” 

Recent polling shows this race is tied, and Colom pulls ahead of Hyde-Smith when voters hear about both candidates and their records. 

Wall Street Journal: Why Are Democratic Donors Putting Money Into a Long-Shot Mississippi Senate Race?

By Maggie Severns

Key points:

• But in a sign of just how bullish some Democrats are feeling, some party officials and donors are starting to size up the potential of once-unthinkable seats in the Deep South. Inspired by success in places like Georgia, they see Colom’s long-shot bid as a down payment for future victory in a state with a large Black population.
• Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has told donors at fundraisers and dinners in recent months to consider putting money into Mississippi, according to people with whom the senator has spoken. 
• Close to 40% of Mississippi residents are Black, and they overwhelmingly vote for Democratic candidates, he pointed out. And in 2023, a Democrat was only 3 percentage points away from being elected as Mississippi’s next governor. Local officials say those factors could be ingredients for another future swing seat. 
• “It’s not the red state anybody says it is,” said Pete Perry, who for decades led the Hinds County Republican Party, where Jackson is located.

Associated Press: Southern Democrats see hope for first time in years, seek to build on discontent of midterm voters

By Kim Chandler and Bill Barrow

Key points:

• Deep South Democrats, largely absent from statewide offices, are aiming for a comeback this year. They are seeking to mobilize Black voters who are angered about the Republican moves to dismantle minority congressional districts, as well as voters who are frustrated with high gas prices, the Iran war, data centers and other issues.
• Optimistic about their chances, Democrats are running candidates in all major state races for the first time in years.
• “We’ve been gifted an opportunity,” [Colom] said, pointing to Mississippi’s large base of Black Democratic voters, Hyde-Smith’s relatively low profile in her first full Senate term and voters’ frustrations over the economy.
• With the largest share of Black voters of any state, Mississippi’s general elections have been closer for years than its immediate Southern neighbors. Trump won by double digits in each of his three presidential contests, but in 2023 Republican Gov. Tate Reeves managed to win reelection by a margin of just 3 percentage points.
• Colom insists he can close the gap by increasing Black turnout and peeling off enough disenchanted white voters from Republicans. It is the same kind of electoral math that propelled Ossoff and Warnock in Georgia.
• “For me, it can’t be just about getting a Senate majority,” Colom said. “It’s got to be about having a party that represents rural America again, suburban America, urban America — a party that makes sure we actually deliver for voters in ways that make their lives better, and we don’t come up with excuses as to why we can’t do it.”

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About Scott: Scott Colom is a seventh-generation Mississippian, proud husband and father of two, and district attorney who fights every day to keep Mississippians safe. Guided by his Christian faith, Scott has dedicated his life to serving his neighbors and keeping them safe from violent criminals. Now he’s running to lower costs for families, save our Mississippi hospitals, and bring good jobs home. Scott loves his state and will always put Mississippi first – and he’ll work with anyone, Republican or Democrat, to get things done for us.