Trump Mississippi Rally: Hyde-Smith Race Tightens

President Donald Trump rallied in Corinth, Mississippi, on Monday 26 October 2026 in support of incumbent Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, as polling shows a Senate race that Republicans have long treated as safe becoming more competitive eight days before the midterms.

President Donald Trump is holding a rally tonight in Corinth, Mississippi, a state he won by about 23 percentage points in 2024. This is happening eight days before the midterms.

A Race That Has Tightened on Paper

The Corinth appearance comes as Hyde-Smith faces Democrat Scott Colom in Mississippi's U.S. Senate race. The latest public polling has shown a closer contest than Republicans are accustomed to seeing in Mississippi, including an Oct. 12-14 survey that found Hyde-Smith ahead 52% to 48%.

Overall, polling and prediction sites forecast a win for incumbent U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith. Democrat Scott Colom and Independent Ty Pinkins face her in the Nov. 3 midterm election.

Poliwave's simulator forecasts Hyde-Smith to lead the race by 3 points, using polls current through Oct. 22. That's a drop from the 8-point lead projected in mid-August.

FiftyPlusOne estimates that Hyde-Smith will have a 3-point lead, as of Friday, Oct. 23. The site called for a 6-point lead in late August.

VoteHub is an independent nonprofit that aggregates available election data. It uses polls, legacy election data, expert ratings, and forecasts from the prediction market Kalshi to estimate outcomes. Currently, it anticipates a 92.6% probability that Hyde-Smith wins with 54.6% of the vote while Colom draws 45.4%.

Last week, Cook Political Report, an independent analysis group, moved the rating of the Senate race from Solid Republican to Likely Republican.

A Democrat has not won a Senate seat in Mississippi since 1982, and Mr. Trump won the state by about 23 points in 2024. The race still tilts toward Republicans, but the Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan election forecaster, shifted its rating last week to "likely Republican" from "solid Republican".

Why Corinth, and Why Now?

The event is scheduled for Crossroads Arena, with the president expected to begin speaking at 6 p.m. Central Time, the report said.

Trump is scheduled to begin his remarks at approximately 6 p.m. CDT / 7 p.m. ET.

Trump confirmed his plans in remarks quoted in the report. "They've asked me to go. I'm going there, I think, on Monday. And I look forward to it," he said.

Republican Party officials have described their approach to the race as centered on getting their own voters to the polls, according to the report. Republican National Committee Chair Joe Gruters pointed to the president's ability to motivate people who do not regularly vote.

"This president knows how to turn out these low propensity voters. And the midterms, historically, it's all about turnout," Gruters said, as reported by the outlets.

He's stumping for Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, who faces Democrat Scott Colom, a district attorney in northern Mississippi who would be the state's first Black U.S. senator since Reconstruction.

Mississippi has not elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 1982. The race has tightened, drawing Democratic funding, a campaign visit from former Vice President Kamala Harris and an ad featuring former President Barack Obama.

Affordability and How to Vote

Colom has framed the contest around household costs, while Hyde-Smith's campaign has pointed to Mississippi's Republican voting record and turnout. Voters should check their own ballot and polling place through the Mississippi Secretary of State's My Election Day portal.

You may vote absentee in person from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, beginning September 19, 2026, at the circuit Clerk's office, through October 31, 2026. In addition, the circuit Clerk's Office will be open for in-person absentee voting from 8:00 a.m. to noon on October 24, 2026, and October 31, 2026.

The last day to vote in-person absentee is Saturday, October 31. Circuit Clerk's Offices will be open from 8:00 a.m. until noon.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Mississippi Senate election? The Nov. 3 midterm election, with Democrat Scott Colom and Independent Ty Pinkins facing incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith.

How close is the race? Recent forecasts put Hyde-Smith ahead by 3 points, down from an 8-point lead projected in mid-August, though forecasters still favour her to win.

When does in-person absentee voting end in Mississippi? Saturday, October 31, with Circuit Clerk's Offices open from 8:00 a.m. until noon that day.