Democratic Spending Enters Deep-Red State
The Senate Majority PAC, the top spending group aligned with Democratic Senate Leader Chuck Schumer, is launching its first advertisement in Mississippi’s U.S. Senate race this year. The group is spending $1.2 million on a television spot to boost district attorney Scott Colom against incumbent Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith.
The ad, first disclosed to The Associated Press, is scheduled to begin airing Wednesday and run through Election Day. This marks the first time the Democratic-aligned group has entered the race in the deep-red state, signaling an aggressive posture from Democrats as Republicans look to protect a slim majority in the Senate.
Group spokesperson Lauren French stated that Senate Majority PAC has been watching the race closely. French said Colom’s campaign has put Hyde-Smith "on her heels," according to the group's statements.
Campaign Spending and Ad Content
Mississippi has seen approximately $8 million in total spending for the race so far. According to data from AdImpact, Colom is outspending Hyde-Smith nearly $4.6 million to $3.2 million.
The new television advertisement labels Hyde-Smith a "do-nothing" senator. The ad claims she voted to kick people off Medicaid despite not passing legislation during her decade in power.
Colom won the March primary, setting up the general election matchup with Hyde-Smith, who was first appointed and then elected in 2018. Colom’s campaign manager, Gerard Henderson, said the contest is competitive because "thousands of Mississippians volunteered and chipped in." Henderson stated that his campaign has the resources and momentum to win.
Republican Response and Historical Context
Jake Monssen, campaign manager for Hyde-Smith, noted that the spending was coming late in the cycle. Monssen stated that "Team Cindy is confident that voters will reject this radical agenda at the ballot box on November 3rd." The Republican incumbent has underperformed previous Republican presidential candidates in past elections; she lost to Trump by 6 percentage points in 2020, the year he lost his White House reelection bid to Democrat Joe Biden.
The political landscape in Mississippi remains heavily skewed toward Republicans. In the 2024 presidential race, Republican Donald Trump won Mississippi by nearly 23 percentage points over Democrat Kamala Harris. Furthermore, a Democrat has not won a Senate race in Mississippi since 1982.
High-Profile Support and National Strategy
The race has attracted significant national attention, with high-profile Democrats campaigning for Colom. Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock campaigned with Colom last week, and former Vice President Kamala Harris is set to rally with Colom on Thursday.
Warnock criticized national groups for not spending more in Southern states like Mississippi, stating he worries Democrats are missing a real opportunity to invest in a serious and sustained way. This criticism comes as Senate Majority PAC expands its strategy beyond Mississippi. The group has announced spending in Kansas where Democratic nominee Adam Hamilton is trying to unseat Republican Sen. Roger Marshall.
Democrats are optimistic about their chances in these conservative territories due to high costs and gas prices amid an unpopular war in Iran under a Republican president. This national sentiment has led Senate Majority PAC to invest in conservative territory including Kansas, mirroring their new focus in Mississippi.
Historic Stakes for the Winner
The outcome of this race carries historic weight for Mississippi politics. If elected, Colom would be Mississippi’s first Black senator since Reconstruction. The stakes are particularly high given that Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate, making every seat critical in the balance of power.