The winners of Mississippi’s Senate primaries are set to face off after the incumbent previously blocked her challenger from a federal judgeship.
Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith and Democrat District Attorney (DA) Scott Colom are campaigning for the Senate seat, with the election set for the November 2026 midterms, according to CNN. (RELATED: Republican Wins Upset In Deep-Blue Seat After Muslim Democrat Busted For Racist Tweets)
Three years ago, former President Joe Biden nominated Colom for the lifetime position of U.S. district court judge — but Hyde-Smith blocked the nomination over George Soros’ previous support for Colom and the his stance on transgender issues, CNN reported.
Traditionally, judicial nominees only move forward if their home-state senators approve the nomination by returning a “blue slip.”
Although Republican Sen. Roger Wicker and two former Republican governors of the state returned their blue slips, Hyde-Smith refused to approve Colom’s nomination, CNN reported.
Scott Colom is wrong for Mississippi. He’s Biden’s pick, not ours. pic.twitter.com/BWXYN456p1
— Cindy Hyde-Smith (@cindyhydesmith) September 5, 2025
Hyde-Smith said at the time that she rejected the nomination because he had received funding from a leftist billionaire and funder of Democratic campaigns and elections, George Soros, who had donated to a political action committee that backed Colom’s first district attorney race, according to CNN.
“Once again, the out-of-state liberal elite are trying to buy a Mississippi Senate seat,” Hyde-Smith said in September. “We’re not going to let that happen. Soros’ and Colom’s extreme policies have no place in Mississippi.”
Hyde-Smith also said she rejected Colom’s appointment because he signed a 2021 letter condemning the “ongoing efforts to criminalize transgender people and gender-affirming healthcare across the country,” according to CNN.
After announcing his bid for office, Colom called Hyde-Smith in September, following an internet trend in which people call someone to wish them a good night.
Just wishing my opponent, Cindy Hyde-Smith, a good night! pic.twitter.com/coyWSi6gbd
— Scott Colom (@scott_colom) September 4, 2025
After wishing her a good night, Colom said that “as a Christian,” he forgives her for blocking his appointment, adding that although his campaign “may seem personal, it’s actually not personal.”
Hyde-Smith appeared to not recognize Colum or understand why he was calling.
A campaign ad shared by Hyde-Smith Sept. 4 , 2025, said Colom turned his courtrooms into a “revolving door” and garnered the nickname “transgender defender.”
The ad continues by stating that when Biden nominated Colom, Hyde-Smith “put her foot down” to block the confirmation and asked voters to “help Cindy Hyde-Smith stop him again.”
Mississippi has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1982, and the state’s strong support for President Donald Trump means Hyde-Smith will likely maintain her seat in November, CNN reported.