Democrat Scott Colom has defeated Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi, delivering a surprise victory for his party in a state that backed President Donald Trump by 23 points in 2024.

Colom, a district attorney, will be the first Black senator elected from Mississippi since the Reconstruction era and the first Democrat from the state headed to the U.S. Senate in 44 years. His victory marks a breakthrough for Democrats seeking a stronger foothold in the South.

The race drew limited attention from national Democratic groups for much of the campaign. That changed in October, when a surge of enthusiasm for Colom brought additional spending and resources in the final stretch.

Colom’s campaign portrayed Hyde-Smith as out of touch with Mississippians facing higher grocery and gas prices during Trump’s second term. He argued that the incumbent was indifferent to those pressures, making economic concerns central to his challenge.

Hyde-Smith had held the seat since her appointment in 2018 and had won election to it twice. Her defeat in a state Trump carried comfortably in the most recent presidential election underscores the scale of Colom’s upset.

For Democrats, the result offers encouragement as they work to improve their standing with Black voters and expand their reach across the South. It also represents a vindication for Colom and other Southern Democrats who had argued that Mississippi was neglected by the national party for too long.

The late infusion of national attention followed months in which the race had not been a major focus for Democratic groups. By then, Colom’s campaign had built enough momentum to turn the contest into an opportunity for the party—and ultimately to send him to Washington.