Mississippi Senate candidate Scott Colom has taken a majority of the new affidavit ballots processed in Madison County, gaining 546 votes to incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith’s 423. Colom has expanded his statewide lead to 2,990, drawing the tightest Senate race in the 2026 elections closer to its end.

Colom’s 55.5% to 43% edge in Madison County’s affidavit ballots is roughly six points higher than his share of the overall vote in Madison County, continuing a trend of relative Democratic overperformance in the affidavit ballots that has been consistent across the state.

Though Hyde-Smith has had no good news for her narrowing path to victory since election night, AP has still yet to call the race for Colom, with some major counties like Hinds expected to release their results sometime tomorrow.

Investigative Reporter Nick Judin joined the Jackson Free Press in 2019, initially covering the 2020 legislative session before spearheading the outlet's COVID-19 coverage. Now at the Mississippi Free Press, his award-winning coverage of the Jackson Water Crisis, mass evictions in rural Mississippi, and the Trump administration's deportation regime has earned international recognition. He continues to travel the state, covering poverty, corruption, infrastructure and immigration.