a woman and a man
Cindy Hyde-Smith and Scott Colom. Photograph: Getty Images
Cindy Hyde-Smith and Scott Colom. Photograph: Getty Images
Lawyers descend on Mississippi as vote counting continues in razor-thin Senate race

Democratic and Republican lawyers and groups trade sharp legal letters about procedures for counting ballots in tight race

Democrat Scott Colom is on the verge of winning a Senate seat in Mississippi in a stunning upset, but ballots are still being counted in a close race where Colom holds a lead of just under 2,000 votes over Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith. Losing ruby-red Mississippi would be the final straw for Republicans after a midterm sweep by Democrats that turned Texas and South Carolina blue.