Hyde‑Smith and Colom Set Mississippi Senate Rematch After 2026 Primaries
Sen. Cindy Hyde‑Smith won the Republican primary over Sarah Adlakha and will face Democratic nominee Scott Colom, who defeated Albert Littell and Priscilla Till, in a November rematch after Mississippi’s 2026 primaries. The campaign recalls Hyde‑Smith’s prior use of a Senate blue‑slip to block Colom’s federal bench nomination under the Biden administration, and both sides have traded attacks — Hyde‑Smith’s campaign brands Colom as aligned with Biden‑Harris and criticizes his stances on transgender issues and women’s sports, while Colom faults Hyde‑Smith for voting against federal funding and investments for Mississippi.
📌 Key Facts
- Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith won the Republican Senate primary, defeating challenger Sarah Adlakha, and is the GOP nominee for the November general election.
- District Attorney Scott Colom won the Democratic Senate primary, defeating Albert Littell and Priscilla Till, and is the Democratic nominee for November.
- The November general election will be a rematch between Hyde-Smith and Colom.
- Hyde-Smith previously used the Senate blue-slip tradition to block Colom’s nomination to the federal bench during the Biden administration.
- Hyde-Smith’s campaign has publicly attacked Colom as aligned with Biden/Harris policies and criticized his stances on transgender issues and female sports.
- Colom has criticized Hyde-Smith for voting against federal funding and investments in Mississippi despite the state’s entrenched poverty.
📊 Relevant Data
In 2022, the poverty rate in Mississippi was 33.1% for Black residents, compared to 13.1% for White alone, not Hispanic or Latino residents, with the overall state poverty rate at 17.8%.
What is the poverty rate in Mississippi? — USAFacts
In 2022, high school graduation rates in Mississippi were 87.9% for Black students, compared to the state average of 89.4%, with educational inequities linked to factors like income levels where lower education correlates with higher poverty.
Graduation Rate - Mississippi Succeeds Report Card — Mississippi Department of Education
Mississippi receives more than $2 in federal funding for every $1 paid in federal income taxes, with federal transfers comprising 34.2% of the state's revenue in 2023.
Mississippi gets more federal dollars than it pays in taxes. See why — Clarion Ledger
As of 2025, there are approximately 5 transgender student athletes participating in girls' sports in the US, with bans in states like Mississippi affecting a very small number of individuals.
How many transgender athletes are there in the US? Hardly any — PinkNews
In Mississippi, lower educational attainment is associated with higher unemployment and poverty rates, with factors like lack of access to transportation and childcare contributing to low labor force participation, particularly among those aged 16-24 at 43.6% in 2023.
Almost Last Again? Mississippi's Labor Force Participation Rate — Mississippi State University Scholars Junction
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Confirms that Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith won the Republican Senate primary, defeating challenger Sarah Adlakha.
- Confirms that District Attorney Scott Colom won the Democratic Senate primary, defeating Albert Littell and Priscilla Till.
- Details Hyde-Smith’s past use of the Senate blue-slip tradition to block Colom’s nomination to the federal bench during the Biden administration.
- Includes new, on-the-record attacks from Hyde-Smith’s campaign framing Colom as aligned with Biden/Harris policies and criticizing his stance on transgender issues and female sports.
- Notes Colom’s criticism that Hyde-Smith has voted against federal funding and investments in Mississippi despite the state’s entrenched poverty.