Scott Colom elected as the state’s first black senator since the 19th century
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New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno praised the emergency response efforts in the wake of the collision of a tanker and river cruise ship on Friday afternoon. Moreno said all passengers on the cruise have been accounted for.
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Sen.-elect Scott Colom (D) defeated Republican incumbent Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith to become Mississippi’s first Black senator since Reconstruction. His campaign’s breakout star? Russ Hudson, whose drawn-out “shiiiiiii” in a campaign ad went viral. CNN’s David Wright interviewed Hudson. Ad creator Ryan Sayles also shared his perspective on how a backyard shoot became a political-ad sensation in CNN’s The Arena with Kasie Hunt.
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Rescue efforts under way as ship takes on water; governor confirms incident in Mississippi River
In a state that hasn't had a Democrat in office since 1980 and hasn't sent a Black senator to Washington since the 1870s, Colom's win represents a massive upset in state politics.
World News
Mississippi has elected Democrat Scott Colom in a historic race in the traditionally deep-red state, making him its first Black senator since shortly after the US civil war. How did Colom’s grassroots campaign win despite limited early backing from national Democrats? Lucy Hough speaks to politics and democracy reporter George Chidi
American Heritage paddleboat with 129 passengers on board is partially submerged on Mississippi River in New Orleans.
World News
The collision leaves 32 people in hospital with non-critical injuries, but no-one unaccounted for.
Politics & Governance
Democrat Scott Colom won a Mississippi Senate seat in a historic upset, beating Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith. CNN’s Annie Grayer explains how Black women became a key voting bloc in the state. Discover more videos, including live streams and exclusive storytelling, on our Watch page.
Senator-elect Scott Colom's win in Mississippi is a history-making political upset. He's not only the first Democrat to win a senate seat in the state since 1982 but he'll also be the state's first Black U.S. senator since the 1870s. This episode was produced by Jason Fuller and Karen Zamora, with audio engineering by Ted Mebane. Our director is Jonas Adams. It was edited by Patrick Jarenwattananon and Adam Raney. Our executive producer is Courtney Dorning.Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
In a state that hasn't had a Democrat in office since 1980 and hasn't sent a Black Senator to Washington since the 1870s, Colom's win represents a massive upset in state politics.
Across the South, Black women voters helped usher in a slew of new Democratic officeholders this year in addition to Mississippi Sen.-elect Scott Colom. They powered Keisha Lance Bottoms to a history-making win as Georgia’s first Black governor alongside a slate of Black women who will hold key state offices. They also backed successful Democratic candidates in GOP strongholds, including South Carolina and Texas, by lopsided margins.
Democrat Scott Colom’s win in the Mississippi Senate race means the 2026 battle for the Senate is nearing a conclusion — and similarly to the House wins, it’s looking like a historic finish for Democrats.
When he finally arrived at his victory party, Colom walked out to T.I.’s Let ‘Em Know. The audience, still galvanized even after hours of standing, roared
Politics & Governance
Supporters gathered in Jackson to celebrate after Scott Colom won the election for Mississippi’s US Senate seat, becoming the first Black person elected to statewide office since the Reconstruction era.
President Donald Trump said Democrats are “illegally threatening Republicans” before they take over Congress. Follow for the latest updates.
Mississippi is home to a large Black American population but no Black person has held a Senate seat since the 1800s.
The historic victory flips an eighth US Senate seat for Democrats after last week's pivotal midterm election.