From the Left · Read · November 12, 2026
Nov 11 · Democrat Scott Colom defeats Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi, flipping the Senate seat
CBS News: CBS quotes both candidates and blames GOP headwinds on an unpopular Iran war, citing no poll.
Grade B (89/100). Article: CBS News on Scott Colom's Mississippi Senate win
Lehrer score 89/100 (starts at 85; +4 named, on-record sources (2+): Scott Colom ("Throughout this campaign, there were many times where I had to have faith") and Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith are quoted by name; +4 other side quoted or given its response: the loser's side: Hyde-Smith "said in a video message Wednesday night" that "I respect the decision of Mississippi voters"; +2 context: background or what came before: "President Trump won the state by 20 points in 2024, and the state hasn't elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1982"; −6 unlabeled claim, analysis or opinion in the outlet's own voice (rule 2/10): "the headwinds that faced Republicans across the map, an unpopular war in Iran and persistent affordability issues, even made their way to reliably red states" is analysis in its own voice with no poll or source). Fixed scale: 90+ A, 80s B, 70s C, 60s D, under 60 F → B.
What we checked: "the headwinds that faced Republicans across the map, an unpopular war in Iran and persistent affordability issues, even made their way to reliably red states" is analysis in its own voice with no poll or source
Splits: Article: CBS News on Scott Colom's Mississippi Senate win
Same story: CNBC, New York Post
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