Mississippi Senate Race Stays Close as Mail Ballots Remain
Democratic challenger Scott Columb leads Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith by a slim margin with thousands of ballots yet to be counted.
By Marta Gray ·
The race for the U.S. Senate seat in Mississippi remains undecided as thousands of mail-in ballots await processing. As of Sunday, Democratic challenger Scott Columb held a lead of 2,574 votes over Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith. These preliminary figures come from the Associated Press.
Approximately 96.92% of the total vote has been tallied so far. Columb has secured 467,930 votes, while Hyde-Smith has 465,356. Elections officials must still count absentee and provisional affidavit ballots across the state’s 82 counties.
Tuesday marks the deadline for outstanding mail-in absentee ballots to arrive. This applies to any ballot postmarked by Election Day. Black residents comprise nearly 38% of Mississippi’s population, making the final count vital for communities across the state.
Meanwhile, violence disrupted a homecoming celebration at Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina. Three shootings occurred during the event, resulting in two deaths and three injuries. One incident originated from a gambling dispute at the Hanes Mall shopping center.
A second shooting took place on the university campus on Saturday night. These incidents have intensified concerns regarding safety at historically Black college and university gatherings. Such events traditionally bring together alumni, students, and families to celebrate community.
The Internal Revenue Service announced upcoming changes that will impact tax returns for the year 2027. The agency stated that these updates may affect households and small business owners. Taxpayers are advised to review the new rules early to plan for future refunds.
