Full Breakdown
Kamala Harris Joins Campaign Push for Democrat Scott Colom in Mississippi Senate Race
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Harris’s late-October rally and the race’s heightened national focus
Former Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to Mississippi in late October to appear at a rally with Democratic Senate candidate Scott Colom in Columbus. The appearance follows a rural-healthcare roundtable in Clarksdale and comes days before former President Donald Trump is slated to speak at a Republican rally in Corinth on October 26. Both visits underscore an unusually competitive contest in a state Trump carried by more than 20 points in 2024.
Background & Context
Mississippi has not elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since John C. Stennis in 1982. In 2024, Trump won the state with 60.9 % of the vote, while Harris received 38 %. Incumbent Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith has never exceeded 55 % of the vote in her two prior Senate victories. The state’s sizable Black-population base offers Democrats a core of support, but statewide victories have required strong turnout and cross-demographic appeal.
Data & Statistics
- Funding: The Democratic-aligned Senate Majority PAC announced a $1.2 million television and digital ad buy running through Election Day, November 3.
- Polling: A Data for Progress survey (August 5-15) found Hyde-Smith ahead 44 % to 38 %, with independent Ty Pinkins at 7 %.
- Prediction markets: Kalshi listed a 90.3 % probability of a Hyde-Smith win.
- Forecasts: Poliwave projected an 8.2-point Hyde-Smith lead; FiftyPlusOne showed a 6-point gap; VoteHub estimated a 93.7 % chance for Hyde-Smith, with 54.8 % of the vote versus 45.2 % for Colom.
Official Statements & Responses
- Senate Majority PAC spokesperson Lauren French said the group is “watching this race closely” and that the $1.2 million spend reflects its competitiveness.
- Colom’s campaign highlighted a surge of volunteer support and framed the race as evidence that “Mississippi matters.”
- Trump’s scheduled October 26 rally was described by campaign officials as a sign of the incumbent’s vulnerability.
On-the-Ground Reports
Colom addressed a resurfaced 2001 arrest report, explaining the incident stemmed from a curfew violation while he was a high-school senior. He dismissed the alleged mugshot as a “false claim” intended to distract voters.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We are confident that Mississippians will once again send Cindy Hyde-Smith to the U.S. Senate,” — Jake Monssen, campaign manager
- “When Donald Trump has to fly into a state he carried by more than 20 points to prop up an incumbent Republican eight days before Election Day, that tells you where this race stands,” — Lauren French, majority PAC spokesperson
- “When I was a high school senior, one of my friends and I stayed out past curfew. That's it,” — Scott Colom, district attorney
What’s Next
- October 26: Donald Trump’s rally at Crossroads Arena in Corinth.
- October 27: Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg will campaign along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
- November 3: Election Day, the final deadline for the $1.2 million ad campaign and the decisive vote for the U.S. Senate seat.
