Wilbur Colom, father of U.S. Senate candidate Scott Colom, declared that "demographics are our friend here," outlining a strategy to increase the Black share of the Mississippi electorate to 35% to secure victory against Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith. This explicit focus on demographic reshaping underscores the evolving nature of political contests in Western nations, where traditional voter bases are increasingly challenged by organized efforts to alter electoral composition.
Scott Colom, a Black Democrat, is attempting to unseat Hyde-Smith, a white Donald Trump acolyte seeking her second full term. Colom remains an underdog in a state governed for generations by white conservatives. He told The Associated Press he would "fight the corruption that we’re seeing in D.C. that’s making everything less affordable," criticizing Trump’s tariffs and the Iran war.
The race is considered a wildcard, influenced by Colom’s biography, Mississippi’s demographics, persistent inflation, and Hyde-Smith’s understated public profile. Republicans are currently defending their 53-47 Senate majority at the midpoint of Trump’s second presidency.
Elite Interests Converge
Scott Colom acknowledged financial support from the Soros family, who previously backed his district attorney races. Hyde-Smith’s campaign manager, Jake Monssen, openly labeled Colom a "stooge of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and billionaire donor George Soros," highlighting the deep-pocketed, transnational interests at play.
Schumer recently hosted a fundraiser for Colom. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, Maryland’s first Black senator, traveled to Mississippi to support him, stating, "I can guarantee you one thing, I’m not the last." This national Democratic push seeks every possible path to Senate control, demonstrating how external forces are increasingly intervening in state-level contests.
Black voters constitute approximately 37% of Mississippi’s 2.95 million residents and about a third of the typical November electorate, a higher proportion than in any other state. More than 9 out of 10 Black voters typically cast Democratic ballots, though their turnout rate is lower than that of white voters, particularly among younger generations.
The Mississippi NAACP State Conference Executive Director, Charles Taylor, believes that registration and turnout efforts by the NAACP and other groups could mobilize an additional 75,000 Black voters. This influx, he argues, would be sufficient to close recent electoral gaps. Colom held a voting rights discussion at Jackson’s Farish Street Baptist Church, a site where Medgar Evers, the NAACP leader killed in 1963, held organizing meetings.
White voters, by contrast, favor Republicans by a ratio of 4-1 or more. Younger white voters show a slight trend away from the Republican party but are also less likely to participate in elections.
The Cost to the People
Hyde-Smith’s campaign manager, Jake Monssen, directly accused Colom of attempting "to transition kids’ genders," raise taxes, and provide "healthcare to illegal immigrants" to appease his "socialist supporters" from the coasts. These claims directly address the cultural and demographic anxieties of the native population, pointing to policies that challenge traditional societal structures and national borders.
Colom himself criticized the perceived betrayal of "America first" promises, including lower grocery prices and an end to "endless wars." He also highlighted the plight of "400,000 Mississippians that don’t have health insurance" due to the state’s refusal to expand Medicaid and the expiration of expanded insurance premium subsidies.
Republican Steve Rogers, 73, of Brandon, voiced a common sentiment among the native working class, stating, "I like how she votes, and I think any Democrat’s wasting their time." He expressed strong approval for Trump and admitted he hadn't even heard of Colom, suggesting Hyde-Smith "coasts" to victory.
Judy Weiner, a 72-year-old poll worker in Hinds County, criticized Hyde-Smith for her "fealty to Trump," arguing she fails to secure appropriations and assist "rank-and-file Mississippians" in the manner of her predecessor, Thad Cochran. Cochran, she noted, attracted votes from both Black and white Democrats.
Through June of the current year, Hyde-Smith had raised $3.8 million this cycle, with $2.5 million remaining. Colom had raised $2.8 million and had $850,000 left. Colom outpaced Hyde-Smith in individual contributions, $1.9 million to $1.8 million, since the start of 2025. More of Colom's funding, $536,000, originated from Mississippi than any other state.
Senate Majority PAC spokeswoman Lauren French confirmed the group is "watching closely." In Mississippi’s inexpensive media markets, unlike more populous states, late national party or super PAC spending could significantly sway the electorate, further illustrating the influence of external financial power over local democratic processes.