How Scott Colom Won Deep-Red Mississippi with Little Help from Democrats
Democrat chatted up people at hair salons, colleges and at Trump rallies to become Mississippi’s first Black senator since Reconstruction
TL;DR
- Scott Colom won a US Senate seat in Mississippi, a deep-red state, becoming the first Democratic senator since 1982 and the first Black senator since Reconstruction.
- His campaign utilized viral ads, such as one spoofing Cindy Hyde-Smith's comments on beef prices, and focused on connecting with voters at local events and businesses.
- Colom faced challenges with fundraising, raising significantly less than his opponent, Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith, and initially had little support from the national Democratic party.
- He employed a grassroots approach, speaking from the heart and engaging with people in places like Waffle Houses, barber shops, and college homecomings.
- Colom's victory was attributed to his ability to mobilize Black voters and gain support from a quarter of white voters, flipping Republican strongholds.
- The election results were delayed due to the need to count affidavit ballots across all 82 counties.