Democrat Scott Colom challenges Sen. Hyde-Smith as Trump rallies in Mississippi

Mixed · 2Democrat Scott Colom, a district attorney for four counties along the Mississippi-Alabama border, is challenging Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith for her Senate seat in the 3 November election. 1 2 Mixed · 2President Donald Trump is scheduled to hold a rally for Hyde-Smith on Monday night, 26 October, at the Crossroads Arena in Corinth, Mississippi, with Hyde-Smith attending. 2 1 Mixed · 2The race is a long shot for Democrats: Mississippi has not elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 1982, and ABC News rates the race solid Republican, though the Cook Political Report moved it from Solid Republican to Likely Republican last week. 1 2

Mixed · 2Democrats have grown more optimistic as Trump's approval has fallen. Newsweek cites a Civiqs tracker with his Mississippi approval at 41 percent and disapproval at 52 percent as of 21 October, his worst reading in the state across both terms. 1 2 Left · 1Colom's campaign gained attention after a social video, since turned into a campaign ad, showed Hyde-Smith saying "You have so many proteins to choose from" when discussing higher meat prices. 1 Mixed · 2National Democrats have campaigned for or backed Colom: former Vice President Kamala Harris rallied with him on Thursday, Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia has campaigned with him, and former President Barack Obama recorded an ad for him. 1 2

Left · 1If elected, Colom would be Mississippi's first Black U.S. senator since Reconstruction; ABC News notes the state's population is around 36% Black. 1 Mixed · 2Outside money has followed. The Senate Majority PAC, aligned with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, announced a $1.2 million ad buy for Colom, and the Senate Leadership Fund had reserved $1.3 million in airtime by Sunday night, with ads casting Colom as too liberal and tying him to George Soros, Schumer and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. 1 2 Centre · 1Polling is limited and favours the incumbent on average. A Democratic-firm Change Research poll on October 21-22 had Hyde-Smith at 43 percent, Colom at 40 percent and independent Ty Pinkins at 6 percent, and Newsweek says all public polling has come from Democratic-aligned firms, with the Pollsmax average giving Hyde-Smith about a 7-point lead. 2

Left · 1Colom said he wants a senator who "puts Mississippi farmers first" and rejected the idea that the run is revenge for Hyde-Smith blocking his 2023 federal judge nomination, saying "as a Christian, I forgive her"; she had cited his support for transgender rights and past backing from a George Soros-linked PAC. 1 Mixed · 2Hyde-Smith's campaign manager Jake Monssen called the Democratic push a "last ditch effort" by "Washington insiders" and said the campaign is confident she will win; Colom said "Hyde-Smith is scared and that's why she's sending Donald Trump down here" and challenged Trump to a debate. 1 2 Left · 1Trump has said Hyde-Smith is "very popular" and that he would go to Mississippi "if I need to get her over the top"; ABC News notes neither Trump nor the RNC has said why the rally is being held there. 1

Centre · 1Mississippi strategists read the visit differently: Democrat Brandon Jones said it shows Republicans think Hyde-Smith is "in trouble", while Republican strategist Hayes Dent said Trump could cost her 3 or 4 points but she would still win, and Republican figures Henry and Austin Barbour called it a turnout effort. 2