Mississippi’s Democratic Senate campaign is gaining momentum as national figures increase their involvement ahead of the upcoming election, highlighting a shift in attention toward a state long considered a Republican stronghold.
Tyree Colom, the Democratic candidate in Mississippi, has been actively campaigning across the state in an effort to overcome traditional challenges faced by Democrats in the region. When he held his first town hall in Jackson, only four people attended, underscoring the uphill battle to build support. Since then, Colom has expanded his outreach to include festivals, housing projects, and community events, seeking to energize voters who have historically been overlooked by national Democrats.
Marvin King, an associate professor of political science and African American studies at the University of Mississippi, noted that national Democrats have often ignored Mississippi, much like other red states. He attributes this in part to the state’s Democratic voter base being predominantly lower-income, making fundraising difficult for local campaign efforts. “The problem for Mississippi Democrats is that their voter base, the base that they rely on for votes, is quite frankly a lower income base, so it’s hard for Democrats here to raise the money internally,” King said.
National Democratic figures have recently stepped up their support. On October 14, Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock campaigned in Jackson for Colom, raising more than $500,000 for his campaign. Warnock emphasized the importance of recognizing the South’s electoral significance, stating that ignoring the region “is at our own peril.” Other national figures such as Senators Lisa Blunt Rochester and Angela Alsobrooks, as well as Cory Booker, Pete Buttigieg, Kamala Harris, and former President Barack Obama, have also endorsed or campaigned for Colom. Obama even released an advertisement urging Mississippi voters to embrace change.
Bennie Thompson, Mississippi’s lone Black and only Democratic member of Congress, encouraged Colom to campaign statewide, a strategy reflected in Colom’s diverse outreach efforts. “It feels like the people of Mississippi are finally getting the attention they deserve,” Colom said. “The potential of our state is getting the recognition it deserves and I’m proud to be fighting for the people in this moment.”
Mississippi is home to the largest percentage of Black voters in the country, a critically important constituency for Democrats. To secure a victory, Colom will need strong turnout from Black voters and the ability to capture around 25% of white voters, who predominantly support Republicans. The state has seen close races in recent years: Mike Espy narrowly lost a special Senate election in 2018 to Cindy Hyde-Smith by seven points, while Governor Tate Reeves was re-elected in 2023 by a slim three-point margin, just above the threshold to avoid a runoff.
As of late October, absentee voting has increased significantly, with more than 56,000 absentee ballots cast compared to 22,221 in 2022. However, the number remains below the level seen during the 2024 presidential election cycle. Mississippi currently does not offer early in-person voting, limiting options for voters.
Mikel Bolden, executive director of the Mississippi Democratic Party, attributed national Democrats’ renewed focus to both the voters’ growing engagement and the state’s potential shifting political landscape. “You cannot take voters for granted simply because of how they voted in the past,” she said. “People are paying attention. Voters are speaking out a little bit more.”
Colom expressed determination to represent Mississippi’s values moving forward. “For too long, Mississippi hasn’t been a lost cause, it’s been a betrayed cause,” he said, reflecting a campaign intent on revitalizing Democratic prospects in the state.