Read · November 11, 2026

Democrat Scott Colom defeats Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi, flipping the Senate seat

• From the LeftCBS News: CBS quotes both candidates and blames GOP headwinds on an unpopular Iran war, citing no poll.

  CBS quotes both candidates and blames GOP headwinds on an unpopular Iran war, citing no poll.

  Grade: B (89/100). 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.

• CenterCNBC: CNBC cites the AP call, Cindy Hyde-Smith's concession video and Chuck Schumer's post.

  CNBC cites the AP call, Cindy Hyde-Smith's concession video and Chuck Schumer's post.

  Grade: A (90/100). Lehrer score 90/100 (starts at 85; +4 named, on-record sources (2+): Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith ("I respect the decision of Mississippi voters") and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ("Blue Mississippi is here") are quoted by name; +4 other side quoted or given its response: both parties heard: Hyde-Smith's concession video and Schumer's post on X; +2 context: background or what came before: "Alaska is the only remaining Senate election to be called"; Colom "will be the first Black senator from Mississippi since the post-Civil War Reconstruction Era"; −5 unnamed source on a side point, or a figure with no stated source (rule 11): "Two sources close to Colom's campaign said Hyde-Smith called him late Wednesday afternoon to concede"). Fixed scale: 90+ A, 80s B, 70s C, 60s D, under 60 F → A.

• From the RightNew York Post: The Post gives the 49.2% to 48.7% count with no source and calls the night a massive rebuke of Trump.

  The Post gives the 49.2% to 48.7% count with no source and calls the night a massive rebuke of Trump.

  Grade: C (74/100). Lehrer score 74/100 (starts at 85; +2 one named, on-record source: Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith quoted from her video on X ("I respect the decision of Mississippi voters"); +2 context: background or what came before: Colom "becomes the first Democrat to win a Senate race in the Magnolia State since John Stennis in 1982"; Trump won the state "by 22.9% in 2024"; −5 unnamed source on a side point, or a figure with no stated source (rule 11): "Colom garnered 49.2% of the vote, compared to Hyde-Smith's (R-Miss.) 48.7%, with more than 95% of the ballots tallied Wednesday" with no source for the count; −6 unlabeled claim, analysis or opinion in the outlet's own voice (rule 2/10): "in a massive rebuke of Trump and the GOP government in Washington" in its own voice; −4 loaded word or phrase in the outlet's own voice (rule 2/7/13): "a desperate bid to shore up support in ruby red Republican strongholds"; "The wipeout began shortly after polls closed"). Fixed scale: 90+ A, 80s B, 70s C, 60s D, under 60 F → C.

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