U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., addresses supporters at her victory party in Flowood, Miss., Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. MFP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis
“Mississippians turned out in strong numbers yesterday, and the race for U.S. Senate remains extremely close as counting continues,” U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith’s campaign team said in a Wednesday morning press release. “With the vast majority of Election Day ballots reported, the margin is measured in just dozens of votes. We have thousands of outstanding ballots, including affidavit and absentee ballots, which still must be processed and verified under Mississippi law.”
“Our campaign is closely monitoring the remaining count. We remain confident that when every legally cast vote is fully and accurately counted, Mississippians will have reelected Cindy Hyde-Smith. Cindy is deeply grateful to the hundreds of thousands of Mississippians who cast their ballots supporting strong borders, energy independence, and accountability in government. We thank the election workers and local officials across the state who are working diligently to ensure the integrity of this election.”
State Reporter Heather Harrison has won more than a dozen awards for her multi-media journalism work. At Mississippi State University, she studied public relations and broadcast journalism, earning her Communication degree in 2023. For three years, Heather worked at The Reflector student newspaper: first as a staff reporter, then as the news editor and finally, as the editor-in-chief. This is where her passion for politics and government reporting began.
Heather started working at the Mississippi Free Press three days after graduation in 2023. She also worked part time for Starkville Daily News after college covering the Board of Aldermen meetings.
In her free time, Heather likes to sit on the porch, read books and listen to Taylor Swift. A native of Hazlehurst, she now lives in Brandon with her wife and their Boston Terrier, Finley, and calico cat, Ravioli.
