Mississippi Senate Race Leads to Legal Clash Between Colom and Hyde-Smith

Democratic challenger Scott Colom holds a slim lead over Republican incumbent Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith in a remarkably close Mississippi Senate race. With over 95 percent of the votes counted, Hyde-Smith's campaign requested that all county commissioners immediately separate provisional ballots from regular and absentee ballots, setting the stage for a potential legal fight. Legal representatives for Colom quickly pushed back against the demand, calling the instructions unlawful and extraordinary measures that violate Mississippi election procedures. A final result may not be known until next week as additional ballots continue to arrive and be processed.