Scott Colom challenges Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi Senate race

President Trump held a rally in Corinth, Mississippi, on Monday to motivate Republican voters before the November 3 election. The visit underscored the high stakes of the U.S. Senate race between Democratic nominee Scott Colom and incumbent Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith. Both campaigns have poured millions of dollars into the state in the final weeks of the contest.

Mississippi holds the highest share of Black voters in the nation, at approximately 40 percent. The state is rural, relies heavily on agriculture, and ranks among the poorest in the country. These factors make higher prices more impactful for residents. Despite these conditions, Trump won the state by 23 points in 2024. The electorate is racially polarized, meaning Democrats generally lack sufficient white voter support to win statewide.

Colom, a district attorney, criticized the Democratic Party for historically underinvesting in Mississippi. He told NPR that the party spent hundreds of millions in other states like Iowa and Texas but little in the Magnolia state. Colom described Mississippi as a "betrayed cause" rather than a lost cause. He noted that the current spending surge reflects a growing belief that the party’s future depends on the South.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris joined Colom at a rally in his hometown high school gym on Thursday. About 1,000 people attended the event. Harris described the current presidential administration as the most callous, corrupt, and incompetent in history. She urged supporters to turn their anger into action with 12 days remaining until the election. Attendees, including Celestine Rice, expressed frustration with rising fuel costs and the war in Iran.

Rice stated that the moral compass of the country is gone and that big money does not trickle down as promised. She said many people are now realizing the need for political change. The Democratic campaign has focused on linking the unpopular president to down-ballot Republicans. Democrats have spent about $5 million in the state this month, compared to $3.2 million for Republicans.

Hyde-Smith campaigned in Corinth alongside Trump to rally the base. Her campaign manager, Jake Monssen, said Mississippians deserve to hear directly from the president about the consequences of electing Democrats. He described Colom as pushing radical socialist policies. Hyde-Smith framed the choice as socialism versus capitalism and communism versus democracy. She emphasized that endorsements do not win elections, but votes do.

Trump told the crowd that his presence was necessary because voters might stay home if they believe the race is safe. He warned that inaction could lead to bad outcomes for Hyde-Smith. The Republican strategy has focused on portraying Colom as too extreme for the state. An ad titled "Most Radical" claims violent crime doubled during his time as district attorney. The campaign has spent more than $1.3 million on that spot, according to AdImpact data.

The race is also a test of Black voting power in the South. Many Republican-led states have redrawn Congressional maps to limit Black voter representation after a Supreme Court ruling rolled back parts of the Voting Rights Act. In Mississippi, Republicans have signaled plans to redraw state legislative and judicial maps after the midterms. Colom argued this approach shifts power from voters to leaders, which he said contradicts democratic principles.

Historical data shows Mississippi has not elected a Democratic senator since the early 1980s. The last successful Black statewide candidate served during Reconstruction. Hyde-Smith won a special election for the seat in 2018 by roughly seven points. Polls this cycle show a strong anti-incumbent sentiment and increased Black voter turnout in states with early voting. Ashley Kennedy Shelton, who runs a civic engagement group in Louisiana, said voters are tired of the current system and intend to show up at the ballot box.