Colom leads Hyde-Smith by 43 votes in Mississippi Senate race

Scott Colom leads U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith by 43 votes in the Mississippi Senate race as of 3 a.m. on Tuesday. The margin reflects a narrow gap in the final tallies released before the election concluded.

The count includes 95.6% of reported votes. Colom, the Democratic candidate, has accumulated 462,821 votes. Hyde-Smith, the Republican incumbent, has received 462,778 votes. Independent candidate Ty Pinkins holds 19,935 votes.

Neither candidate declared victory during their respective watch party speeches. Both told supporters they expected to hold the Senate seat in the coming days. Hyde-Smith addressed her crowd in Biloxi, stating that the race was close but that her lead was strong. She noted that not all votes were counted yet, so she was not calling the entire race that night. She assured listeners she would continue to serve as their U.S. Senator.

Colom spoke to his supporters with a similar level of confidence. He said he believed Mississippi was demonstrating its importance to the nation. He concluded his remarks by telling the room they were going to win. He also offered a blessing to the attendees before wishing them good night.

Because this is a general congressional contest, no runoff election will be held. The candidate with the highest number of votes will claim the seat. The race determines the next occupant of Mississippi's U.S. Senate position.