WASHINGTON — In a stunning political earthquake that reverberated across the American South, Democratic contender Scott Colom has claimed victory in Mississippi’s U.S. Senate race, clinching a seat in a staunchly conservative state for the first time in over four decades and marking the state's first Black senator since the Reconstruction era.

The razor-thin contest concluded on Tuesday after an eight-day verification process led by election lawyers from both parties. With 99 percent of precincts reporting, Colom edged past incumbent Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, capturing 49.2 percent of the vote to Hyde-Smith’s 48.7 percent.

The triumph holds profound historical significance. Mississippi, long categorized as a "Deep Red" bastion where Donald Trump won by 23 points in the 2024 presidential cycle, has not sent a Democrat to the upper chamber since 1982. More notably, a Black candidate has not represented the state in the U.S. Senate since Blanche Bruce took office in 1875—150 years ago.

Political analysts noted that Colom’s background as a local prosecutor helped bridge critical demographics. He successfully leveraged public frustration over cost-of-living pressures while energizing minority turnout. A viral campaign commercial—where Colom retorted, "I'd rather pick another senator," following Hyde-Smith's dismissive remarks advising consumers to look for "other protein sources" amid surging beef prices—became a defining moment of the race.

The backdrop of Mississippi’s complex racial history added emotional weight to the election. The state was once a primary stronghold for the Ku Klux Klan, infamously marked by the 1964 murders of three civil rights workers registering Black voters—an atrocity immortalized in the acclaimed film Mississippi Burning.

According to projections by The New York Times, Colom’s arrival in Washington will elevate the total count of Black U.S. senators to seven in the next Congress, setting a historic benchmark for representation in the 100-seat chamber.

Nationally, Colom’s victory further solidifies the Democratic Party's momentum in the midterm elections. With this pickup, Democrats have expanded their senate majority to at least 55 seats, independent of ongoing tabulation in Alaska, where Democratic incumbent Mary Peltola currently maintains a narrow lead.

[ⓒ Global Economic Times. 무단전재-재배포 금지]