Republican U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith has conceded the U.S. Senate election to her Democratic opponent, Scott Colom.
“Serving you in the United States Senate has been one of the greatest honors of my life,” Hyde-Smith said in a video message posted to her social media pages. “When I first took office, I made a promise that I would never forget where I came from or who I worked for, and I never have.”
“While this is not the outcome we worked for or hoped for, I respect the decision of Mississippi voters. I want to congratulate Scott Colom and wish him well as he takes on the tremendous responsibility of representing our great state.”
Hyde-Smith, a former Mississippi state senator and former agriculture commissioner, was appointed to the U.S. Senate in 2018 after the death of Thad Cochran. She went on to win a special election that year to complete the remainder of his term and won a term of her own in 2020. She is the first woman to be elected U.S. Senator from Mississippi.
A spokesperson with Hyde-Smith’s campaign confirmed to the Mississippi Free Press that Hyde-Smith had called Colom to concede the race late Wednesday afternoon.
“I want to make one thing very clear: an election may come to an end, but our commitment to Mississippi never will. I have always believed that public service is about something much bigger than any one person or any one election,” she said. “It is about the people we serve, the values we hold dear and the future we leave for our children and grand children. And while my time in the United States Senate may be coming to an end, my love for Mississippi and my determination to stand up for what is right and never will.”
