One of the biggest nail-biters of the 2026 election isn't playing out in a purple state, but crimson Mississippi, where Democrat Scott Colom is trying to pull off a Magnolia State upset.

The big picture: It's one of the most remarkable currents of Tuesday's blue wave. The race pitted Colom, a Democratic district attorney powered by grassroots clout, against incumbent Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith in a state Trump won by some 23 points in 2024.

The big picture: The coalition Colom built with his viralads and the historic tenor of his candidacy faces the ultimate Deep South test.

The race remains too close to call.

"The flag has already been planted in Mississippi that a new day has arrived, and whether these final votes carry Scott Colom into that victory column, we will find out," says Nadine Smith, president and CEO of Color Of Change.…