Jackson, Miss. – The campaign of incumbent U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde‑Smith released a statement Wednesday morning emphasizing confidence that the final count will reflect the will of Mississippians who support strong borders, energy independence and accountable government.
“Mississippians turned out in strong numbers yesterday, and the race for U.S. Senate remains extremely close as counting continues,” the statement read. “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.”
Current vote tally
As of 3 a.m. Wednesday, Democratic challenger Scott Colom held a razor‑thin lead of 43 votes out of more than 925,000 cast, with the official count showing 462,821 votes for Colom and 462,778 for Hyde‑Smith. An estimated 95.6% of ballots have been tabulated, while independent candidate Ty Pinkins has drawn 19,935 votes.
Hyde‑Smith’s campaign stressed that the remaining uncounted ballots – many of which are absentee or affidavit ballots – must be fully processed before any final determination is made. “We remain confident that when every legally cast vote is fully and accurately counted, Mississippians will have re‑elected Cindy Hyde‑Smith,” the statement continued.
Both candidates express confidence
Hyde‑Smith herself told reporters Tuesday night that the Democrats “got out and worked,” but added that there “wasn’t enough of them.” The next day, Colom held a press conference in which he declared, “We’re going to win this,” underscoring the high stakes and mutual optimism surrounding the final count.
Election officials across the state are working diligently to verify each ballot in accordance with Mississippi law, a process the Hyde‑Smith campaign praised as essential to preserving election integrity.
What’s at stake
The close contest highlights the deep partisan divide in Mississippi, a state where Republican leadership has championed policies such as border security, energy independence and government accountability – pillars that resonate strongly with many Mississippians. Hyde‑Smith’s record in the Senate reflects those priorities, and her campaign argues that her continued service will further advance them.
Mississippians are encouraged to stay informed as the count proceeds. The campaign urges voters to respect the verification process and to trust that every legal vote will be counted.
For ongoing updates on the Senate race, readers can follow local news outlets and the official election website.
Original reporting: Action News 5 WMC (Gray) — read the source article.