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Colom makes history with Democratic Senate victory in Mississippi
Hello, and welcome to the US politics live blog.
Mississippi has elected Scott Colom, a Democrat, as its senator, adding to a wave of Democratic gains across the country in this year’s midterm elections.
He defeated incumbent Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith in the closely contested Senate race to become the state’s first black senator since the post-Civil War Reconstruction era, marking a historic moment for Mississippi and a major breakthrough for the Democrats in a traditionally Republican state.
“All I did was have the courage to imagine a night like this,” Colom said in his victory speech last night.
“I had the courage to believe in Mississippi. I had the courage to understand that we can show the country that Mississippi matters.”
Just over a week since the midterm elections, the Associated Press called the race after absentee and provisional ballots were counted.
“While this is not the outcome we worked for or hoped for, I respect the decision of Mississippi voters,” Hyde-Smith said.
You can read more about Colom’s grassroots campaign, his viral advertising strategy and how he reached voters at Trump rallies despite limited early backing from national Democrats here:
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