Democrat Scott Colom is projected to defeat Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi's U.S. Senate race, according to the Associated Press, pulling off a major upset in a state that has long favored Republicans.
Colom's victory makes him the first Democrat elected to the U.S. Senate from Mississippi since 1982. The state has not had a Democratic senator since John Stennis left office in 1989.
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The race was not initially considered competitive, but polling tightened in the closing weeks of the campaign as voters expressed growing frustration with the economy.
Hyde-Smith faced criticism after suggesting during an interview that consumers could choose other sources of protein when asked about rising beef prices.
Colom seized on the remark, launching a campaign ad featuring voters who said they would rather choose another senator than another protein.
The race also drew attention from national political figures. President Donald Trump visited Mississippi a week before Election Day to rally support for Hyde-Smith, while former Vice President Kamala Harris campaigned for Colom in the closing weeks of the race.
Colom's victory delivers Democrats an unexpected pickup in the U.S. Senate.
