Federal race · November 3, 2026
U.S. Senate
U.S. senators write and vote on federal laws, confirm presidential nominees, and approve treaties; Mississippi has two senators.
6-year term. Regular election for the seat held by Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R), who is seeking a second full term. Three candidates are printed on the ballot: Scott Colom (printed as "Democrat"), Cindy Hyde-Smith (Republican) and Ty Pinkins (Independent), plus a write-in line. Hyde-Smith and Colom won the March 10, 2026 party primaries. Mississippi's other seat (Sen. Roger Wicker) is not on the 2026 ballot, and there is no special Senate election or governor's race in Mississippi in 2026.
The candidates
Listed alphabetically by last name.
Scott Colom
District Attorney, 16th Circuit Court District (Lowndes, Oktibbeha, Clay and Noxubee counties)Colom is a Columbus native who has been district attorney for Lowndes, Oktibbeha, Clay and Noxubee counties since 2016; President Biden nominated him for a federal judgeship in 2022, but the nomination did not receive a hearing. He won the March 2026 Democratic primary with about 73% of the vote. His campaign focuses on lowering costs, raising wages, health care and rural hospitals, and an anti-corruption plan.
Cindy Hyde-Smith
U.S. Senator from Mississippi (since 2018)Hyde-Smith is a Brookhaven cattle farmer and former state agriculture commissioner who was appointed to the U.S. Senate in 2018, won a special election that year and won a full term in 2020. She is the first woman elected to represent Mississippi in Congress and is seeking a second full term; she won the March 2026 Republican primary with about 81% of the vote. Her campaign highlights her experience, her working relationship with President Trump, agriculture, rural health care, border security and gun rights.
Ty Pinkins
Attorney; retired U.S. Army soldierPinkins is a Rolling Fork native, 21-year Army veteran and attorney who was the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in 2024 and for secretary of state in 2023. He left the Democratic Party in July 2025 and is running as an independent. His campaign focuses on health care, jobs and family farms, veterans and reducing the role of money in politics.
Compare on the issues
Summaries of each candidate's stated positions. See each profile for sources and details.
| Issue | Scott Colom Democratic | Cindy Hyde-Smith Republican | Ty Pinkins Independent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elections & Democracy | Supports banning stock trading by members of Congress and their families and overturning Citizens United; says voter ID works if everyone can get a free ID easily. | Co-sponsors the SAVE America Act, which would set national voter ID standards and bar noncitizens from voting. | Supports banning stock trading by members of Congress, overturning Citizens United and adopting ethics rules for the U.S. Supreme Court; lists voting rights as a priority. |
| Health Care | Says he would vote to cancel the 2025 budget law's Medicaid cuts; supports restoring enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits and federal incentives for Mississippi to expand Medicaid. | Calls rural health care a top priority; says she is committed to lowering prescription drug prices and has criticized pharmacy benefit managers. | Supports the Medicare for All Act, calling health care "a fundamental human right." |
| Abortion | Says he has always been pro-life personally but trusts women "to make the choices that are best for them"; supports protecting access to IVF. | Says all children, "including the unborn," have a right to life; opposes taxpayer funding of abortion and efforts to expand mail-order abortions. | No public position found yet |
| Agriculture | No public position found yet | Supports passing a new farm bill; said she was concerned that a federal health (MAHA) report could unfairly target American agriculture and crop protection tools. | Wants farm bills written with small family farmers in mind and says he would oppose trade deals that undercut Mississippi farmers. |
| Economy & Jobs | Supports raising the federal minimum wage and tying it to the cost of living; wants Congress to take back authority over tariffs. | No public position found yet | Supports encouraging business investment and job training and proposes a summer apprenticeship program for 15- and 16-year-olds. |
| Guns | Says he owns guns, is "strong on the Second Amendment" and will protect Mississippians' right to protect themselves. | Holds an enhanced-carry permit and says she will always defend Second Amendment rights. | No public position found yet |
| Immigration | Says he supports a secure border and enforcing immigration laws, while also guaranteeing constitutional due process. | Supports a border wall and more immigration enforcement funding; says people who are deportable should be deported and that legal worker programs such as H-2A and H-2B visas need reform. | No public position found yet |
| Taxes | Proposes ending federal income tax for Mississippians earning under $75,000, starting with teachers and law enforcement; has called for raising taxes 3% on people earning more than $600,000 a year to pay for health insurance coverage and hospitals. | Supported the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act, pointing to its no-tax-on-tips and overtime provisions and its tax breaks and expanded expensing for family farmers. | No public position found yet |
| Energy & Environment | Supports pausing new data center construction until companies agree to pay for their own power and water and commit in writing to hire Mississippi workers. | No public position found yet | No public position found yet |
| Foreign Policy | No public position found yet | Supports the President's approach to Iran, saying Iran must not have nuclear weapons even if the conflict brings short-term costs. | No public position found yet |
| Veterans | No public position found yet | No public position found yet | Says veterans should receive the benefits, care and support they earned. |