Published November 13, 2026 · By
Scott Colom, the Democrat who won Mississippi’s U.S. Senate race this week, drew public praise from President Donald Trump on Thursday, November 12, 2026, one day after The Associated Press called the contest. Trump said in an interview with sports commentator Stephen A. Smith that he gave Colom credit for walking the line of supporters outside a Trump rally in Corinth, Mississippi, during the campaign. The AP described the comments as a rare instance of the Republican president expressing admiration for a Democrat.
The exchange comes as Washington adjusts to a new balance of power after the 2026 midterms. Below is what Trump said, how the race was decided, what each side has said and what the result could mean for your household budget.
What Trump Said About Scott Colom
According to The Hill, Trump spoke with Smith at the White House on Thursday. WLBT, the NBC affiliate in Jackson, Mississippi, reported that the conversation was recorded for Smith’s “Straight Shooter” podcast. Asked about the Mississippi result, Trump said he did not know Scott Colom personally. “I don’t know the gentleman, but I give him credit,” Trump said, according to The Hill.
Trump went on to describe his Corinth rally, saying the lines of supporters stretched about 10 miles and that Scott Colom had campaigned along that line. “I give him a lot of credit for that,” Trump said, as quoted by the AP. WLBT reported that Trump said the Democrat showed nerve by appearing at an event held for his Republican opponent, Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith.
The tone differed from the one Trump used at the rally itself. The AP reported that Trump had described Scott Colom there as a radical and a phony who pretended to be a moderate. In the Smith interview, The Hill reported, Trump also repeated his view that Republicans lost ground in the midterms because he was not personally on the ballot.
How Scott Colom Campaigned at a Trump Rally
The moment Trump referred to became one of the most widely shared scenes of the Mississippi campaign. Scott Colom’s campaign released a video showing him approaching Trump supporters waiting to enter the Corinth event, introducing himself and asking which issues mattered most to them. The AP said the visit drew broad media attention.
According to The Hill, many of the voters in the video named high prices as their main concern, and some said they opposed the war with Iran and the administration’s tariffs. The Hill reported that the clip had about 239,000 views on Facebook and roughly 555,000 on Instagram as of Thursday night. The AP placed the rally in October, while The Hill said it took place days before Election Day.
Scott Colom Race Result: How Mississippi Was Decided
Election night on November 3 did not produce a winner. Local officials spent more than a week processing absentee ballots and affidavit ballots, the term Mississippi uses for provisional ballots, before the outcome became clear. The AP called the race for Scott Colom on Wednesday, November 11. Decision Desk HQ, The Hill’s polling partner, projected the same day that Scott Colom had won by around half a percentage point.
The margin stood out given the state’s recent voting history. The Hill noted that Trump carried Mississippi by 23 points in 2024 and that Decision Desk HQ’s pre-election forecast gave Colom a 9% chance of winning. Results still have to be certified by state officials; the Mississippi Secretary of State publishes official, certified election results once that process is complete.
Who Is Scott Colom?
Scott Colom is a 43-year-old local prosecutor whom the AP described as a successful underdog. With the win, the AP reported, he becomes Mississippi’s first Black U.S. senator since Reconstruction; The Hill said he is the first Black senator elected by popular vote in the state. The Hill also noted that Hyde-Smith had blocked a 2023 confirmation hearing for Colom’s nomination to a federal judgeship.
What Each Side Has Said
During the campaign, the AP reported, Scott Colom criticized Trump’s policies, especially the Iran war, which the AP said drove up gas prices, and tariffs that created problems for Mississippi farmers. The AP said he did so without personal attacks on Trump or his voters, and that he portrayed Hyde-Smith as having little presence in Washington while promising to focus on Mississippians.
Hyde-Smith, a former state agriculture commissioner, campaigned with Trump’s backing. While ballots were still being counted, her campaign said it expected to win once every legally cast vote was tallied, Al Jazeera reported at the time. For more background on the count, the candidates and their platforms, see our earlier coverage of the Mississippi Senate race result.
Democrats have pointed to the result as evidence that the party can compete in the South, according to earlier PBS NewsHour reporting. Trump, for his part, has attributed Republican midterm losses largely to his own absence from the ballot, The Hill reported.
Scott Colom and the New Senate Balance
Scott Colom is expected to take office in January, when the next Congress begins. Until then, Hyde-Smith keeps her seat and her vote during the lame-duck session. Based on AP reporting that Democrats were on track for 54 Senate seats before the Mississippi and Alaska results, the Mississippi win would bring the expected Democratic total to 55.
Alaska remains uncalled. Democrat Mary Peltola has led Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan as ballot counting continues; our Alaska Senate race update explains the timeline. A Peltola win would raise the Democratic total to 56, while a Sullivan win would keep the seat in Republican hands.
Our analysis: A larger majority would give Senate Democrats more room on party-line votes, such as confirming nominees, starting in January. Most major legislation would still need 60 votes to overcome a filibuster, and any bill would require the president’s signature or enough votes to override a veto.
What It Means for You
The praise itself does not change any law or policy. The practical effects of the Mississippi result will depend on how the new Congress uses its majority starting in January. Here is what is worth watching, based on the issues the candidates and voters raised in this race.
- Prices and tariffs: Voters in Scott Colom’s campaign video cited high prices, and Colom campaigned against tariffs. The White House has said it will press ahead with its tariffs, CNBC reported this week, so any changes would likely require action by Congress or the courts.
- Gas prices: The AP linked higher gas prices to the Iran war. Energy prices depend on global markets and diplomacy more than on any single Senate seat.
- Farm income: Mississippi farmers have faced costs tied to trade disputes, according to the AP. Farm aid and trade terms are areas where Congress and the administration both have a role.
- Government funding: Current federal funding runs through December 11, before new members are sworn in. The outgoing Congress, including Hyde-Smith, will handle that deadline.
- Your vote: The half-point margin in Mississippi is a reminder that late-counted mail and provisional ballots can decide close races.
What Comes Next
Mississippi officials must finish certifying the results before Scott Colom can be seated. The new Senate convenes in January, and Senate Democrats expect to hold leadership elections in December. During the campaign, the AP reported, Colom vowed to look out for Mississippians, while Hyde-Smith remains in office through the end of the current Congress.
We will update our coverage as Mississippi certifies its results and the Alaska count concludes. This article is for information only and is not financial advice.
Sources: The Associated Press (via WKMG ClickOrlando); The Hill; CNBC; WLBT; Al Jazeera; PBS NewsHour; Mississippi Secretary of State (sos.ms.gov).
