Democratic challenger Scott Colom has widened his lead over Republican incumbent Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith to 1,138 votes in Mississippi's still-uncalled Senate race, according to the Associated Press results dashboard reported by USA Today, with 96% of ballots counted as of around 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, November 4, 2026. The Mississippi Senate race remains too close to call, even though the margin grew from fewer than 100 votes earlier the same day, and final results may still take days or even weeks.

The new count marks a sharp change from the morning picture. At 2:40 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Colom's advantage stood at fewer than 100 votes out of nearly 950,000 ballots counted. By the evening update it had grown more than tenfold, yet the race stayed uncalled because outstanding ballots, including mail ballots that can still arrive, could narrow or widen the gap before the count is certified.

Key Points

• Scott Colom leads Cindy Hyde-Smith by 1,138 votes with 96% of ballots counted, as of around 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, November 4, 2026.
• Earlier on Wednesday, at 2:40 p.m. ET, Colom's lead was fewer than 100 votes out of nearly 950,000 ballots counted.
• The race remains uncalled, and final results may take days or even weeks to confirm.
• Mississippi mail ballots postmarked by Election Day can arrive and be counted for five more days.
• Alongside Alaska, Mississippi will decide only the size of the Democrats' incoming majority, not control, which Democrats have already secured.

What Happened

The latest Associated Press figures, reported by USA Today, put Colom ahead by 1,138 votes with 96% counted. That evening update replaced an afternoon snapshot in which the margin was fewer than 100 votes. The swing within a single day shows how much the remaining ballots matter: as new batches are added, a lead measured in dozens can become a lead measured in thousands, or shrink again just as quickly.

The race had already been one of the closest Senate contests of the 2026 midterms. A day earlier, Colom held a lead of just 43 votes, a margin so narrow that it drew national attention. The move from 43 votes to fewer than 100 votes, and then to 1,138 votes, reflects the steady arrival of counted ballots rather than a single dramatic batch, and it still leaves about 4% of the expected count outstanding.

Background and Context

Mississippi's Senate race was already historic before the final count began. Colom, the Democratic challenger, is seeking to unseat Hyde-Smith in a state that has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since John Stennis, whose service ended in the 1980s. If Colom's lead holds, he would become the first Democrat to win a Mississippi Senate seat in more than four decades, in a state that former President Donald Trump carried by more than 20 points in 2024.

The contest drew heavy national attention, even though Democrats had already secured Senate control. That context matters: the Mississippi result will not change which party controls the chamber in January 2027, but it will shape the size of the Democratic majority and its room to move legislation, confirm nominees, and withstand absences or defections.

Mississippi Senate Race Count: How the Lead Grew

The Mississippi Senate race count has moved in stages. On election night and into the following day, the margin was measured in dozens of votes, with Colom ahead by 43 votes at one point. By Wednesday afternoon, the lead was still fewer than 100 votes out of nearly 950,000 counted, a margin of about one-hundredth of one percent. By Wednesday evening, with 96% counted, the lead had reached 1,138 votes.

That progression is normal in a close race with many ballots still to process. Early counts often reflect ballots counted first, while later batches can shift totals either way. What the evening update establishes is momentum in Colom's favour: a lead growing from fewer than 100 votes to more than 1,100 as more ballots are added is stronger than one shrinking as counting proceeds. It does not guarantee the outcome, since thousands of ballots may still be outstanding.

Reactions and What Officials Have Said

So far, the story of this count has been told mainly through the numbers themselves, as reported by the Associated Press and carried by USA Today. The Associated Press has kept the race uncalled, reflecting its standard that a race is only called when the remaining ballots cannot change the outcome. That cautious approach matters most in a contest where mail ballots can still arrive for days after Election Day.

Why It Matters

The Mississippi Senate race matters for three reasons. First, it tests whether a Democrat can win a statewide Senate race in one of the most Republican states, and whether the 2026 midterm environment, which delivered Democrats control of both chambers, extended even to Mississippi. Second, the size of the Democratic majority matters for governing: a larger majority gives the incoming leadership more room to schedule votes, confirm nominees, and pass legislation. Third, the count itself shows how close races work: a lead of 1,138 votes out of nearly a million ballots is about one-tenth of one percent, so counting every eligible ballot takes time by design.

What Happens Next

Mississippi election officials will continue counting ballots, including mail ballots postmarked by Election Day arriving within the five-day window. As those ballots are processed, the Associated Press dashboard will update, and the margin may move again. Only when remaining ballots cannot change the outcome, or the count is complete and certified, will the race be called.

If Colom's lead holds, he will be declared the winner and take his seat when the new Congress convenes in January 2027. If Hyde-Smith overtakes him, the seat will stay Republican, and the Democratic majority will be one seat smaller. Either way, the ballots themselves will decide it. Voters should expect further updates over the coming days, and possibly weeks, before a final result is confirmed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is leading the Mississippi Senate race?
On Wednesday, November 4, 2026, Scott Colom leads Cindy Hyde-Smith by 1,138 votes, with 96% of ballots counted.

Has the Mississippi Senate race been called?
No. It remains uncalled, and final results may take days or even weeks, because mail ballots postmarked by Election Day can arrive and be counted for five more days.

How close was the race earlier on Wednesday?
At 2:40 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Colom's lead was fewer than 100 votes out of nearly 950,000 counted. A day earlier, it had been just 43 votes.

Does the Mississippi result decide control of the Senate?
No. Democrats have already secured control. Mississippi, alongside Alaska, will decide only the size of the Democrats' incoming majority.

What happens next in the count?
Officials will keep counting eligible ballots, including mail ballots arriving within the five-day window, until the count is complete and certified.

Read our earlier coverage: Mississippi Senate race uncalled as Scott Colom leads Cindy Hyde-Smith by 43 votes, and Democrats win Senate control in 2026 midterms, completing Congress sweep. For the other still-uncalled Senate race, see Alaska Senate race still uncalled as Sullivan leads Peltola by 1,677 votes.