‘HISTORIC’: Democrat Scott Colom wins Mississippi Senate race

It is historic indeed, Luke. I'm sitting here. The excitement is building. I don't know if y'all can hear the music. behind me. But I'm sitting here at Tougaloo College, where in just a few hours, Senator-elect Scott Colum will address. the nation, really, at a rally right here on this campus. But you mentioned Medgar Evers. It was in 1961 that nine students. from Tougaloo College went to Jackson's. all-white library just to try and read, and they were arrested. And it was Megger Evers that sent them there.

It was Megger Evers that taught them. about organizing. And it is in that legacy, in the legacy of Fannie Lou. Hamer. In the legacy, there are so many shoulders. There are so many shoulders and giants that have come. through not just this state, but through the South. that made this moment possible. But the one thing I do want to underscore is. in fact that Scott Colombe is the first. black U .S. Senator that Mississippi voters have elected. and during reconstruction senators were. appointed or selected by the state legislature. And so this is the first time that voters.

in this state have had the opportunity to choose, to elect a black man to the United States Senate. And that history is long. I'm thinking about all of the people. and the students right here. on this campus that when they heard the news, they were excited. They said, I was like, yes, y'all, he is one. We got to go get to the news. Let's bring in now MSNOW political contributor. Jason Johnson. He is a professor of journalism. at the Morgan State University. and he's host of the podcast A Word. with Jason Johnson.

Also with us now is MSNOW reporter Nnamdi Igwamu. Nnamdi has been on the ground. in Jackson doing all the reporting. Jason, I want to start with you. I'm leaning into the history here. And I'm leaning in the history here. because it is so significant. I want to play an ad that Scott Colombe. did where he referenced Medgar Evers, which Sloan also spoke about.

This is when Medgar Evers died. He fought for this country at Normandy. He came home to Mississippi and they wouldn't let him. vote. So he organized, helping other people register. Just after midnight on June 12th, 1963, he pulled into here with an arm full. of t-shirts that said Jim Crow must go. A man hiding across the street shot him. in the back. He was killed for helping Mississippians vote. On Tuesday, use your vote and honor.

everyone who died. for that right. Menger Evers, veteran. Today's veterans day. Someone who served his country, a country that did not love him back. Scott Colom was propelled by that history, Jason. And what a fitting tribute. Medger and Merle Evers, one of the greatest love. stories ever. There's an excellent book about their history. What's amazing to me about this. and what's emotional to me about.

this is we don't have to go back that far. Mississippi is where Nolan Wells disappeared. Mississippi is viral right now. because racial harassment by students. at Ole Miss's campus. That is still the existence of this state. And yet you've seen this kind of change. And there's a great album that came out last. summer called Miss Black America. It's by Kirby and Big Crit. These are rappers from the South talking. about the history of the blues now it comes. from the Dockery Plantation and the opening.

history. I'm excited for the state. I'm excited for the voters. I'm excited for what this means for this country. And at the end of the day, I'm excited for everyone. who worked. on these campaigns. It's not just this is no shade. It's not just the end of Lacey Peay. It's fair fight. It's fair vote. It's the fact that you had over 100 African-American. clerks. at local places.

That means that they were working. They were in these positions to make sure. that this justice happened. And I'm amazed to see what he's going. to do once he joins the rest. of the freshmen here at D .C. It's a heck of a banner that we have up. on the screen here. We're talking about a Mississippi Senate race. going to a Democrat in the year of 2026. I was just messaging with one Mississippi. Democrat who insisted that mississippi is purple. and it could have been for the last 20 years. if there was outside democratic. investment investment in the political party. in the state infrastructure voter registration.

efforts and yet here we find ourselves right. it's a place that hasn't gotten too much. attention. I remember being out on the road. with Mike Espy in 2018 and I think only. one senator came to campaign with him, Cory Booker. I wonder what the reflection is. from folks right now about what the future. of the Mississippi Democratic Party looks. like now that it has a senator set to. serve six-year term. You know, I can't help but think of a quote. from Senator Warnock. He would say Mississippi is not a lost cause. It's a trade cause.

And he would say that's reflective of his view. of the South. And that's something that I think Scott Colum. had been. contending with for a very long time. as he tried to demonstrate to people. that not only is this state competitive, but it's ONE THAT WITH PROPER. INVESTMENT HE COULD WIN. PETE BUTTIGIEG, I REMEMBER MONTHS AGO, ENDORSED SCOTT COLOMB, AND THAT GAVE SOME NATIONAL CREDENCE. AND SHINED A LIGHT ON HIS RACE. RAFIA WARNOCK ALSO THAT SERIOUSLY, THAT LIGHTS GOT I THINK IT WAS SOMEONE. WHO HAD BEEN KEYED INTO THIS RACE FOR A. VERY LONG TIME, SENATOR ANGELA ALSO.

AND I THINK THE FACT THAT HE'S. BUT THERE'S NO DENYING THAT YOU. HAD NATIONAL FIGURES THAT DIDN'T. TAKE THIS RACE THAT SERIOUSLY, THAT LIGHTS GOT COLOMB, BUT DIDN'T HAVE FAITH. THAT HE COULD DO EXACTLY WHAT HE DID TODAY. AND I THINK THE FACT THAT HE'S. BEEN ABLE TO FLIP THIS DATE IS. A TESTAMENT TO WHAT IS POSSIBLE, NOT JUST IN MISSISSISSIPPI, BUT ACROSS THE SOUTH, IN LOUISIANA AND ALABAMA, IN. INFLORDA WITH PROPER INVESTMENT AND RESOURCES. YOU KNOW, NAMDI MAKES SUCH AN. IMPORTANT POINT AND JASON, IF I CAN JUST COME TO YOU AND ASK YOU, WELL, FIRST I WANT TO play a video.

of Senator Hyde Smith. This is what she posted last hour. on the site formerly known as Twitter. This is her conceding a portion of the video. I'm going to play this for you that I want to. ask you something on the other side. While this is not the outcome we worked. for or hoped for, I respect the decision of Mississippi voters. I want to congratulate Scott Colombe. and wish him well as he takes. on the A TREMENDOUS RESPONSIBILITY. OF REPRESENTING OUR GREAT STATE.

YOU KNOW, JASON, MUCH HAS BEEN MADE OVER. MANY ELECTION. CYCLES ABOUT THE POLITICAL PROWESS OF. BLACK WOMEN VOTERS AND BLACK WOMEN ARE. THE BASE OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND I. ABSOLUTELY DO AGREE. BUT ALTENTIMES WE DO NOT talk enough. in my opinion and my husband. often reminds me about black men. and their contributions. and what black men are doing. in their communities politically. And it is not lost on me that it is Reverend Warnock. out of Georgia,

and now it is Scott Colombe out of Mississippi. Talk to me just about how you feel. You know, I'm going to do what. Lawrence did to. me last Tuesday. How do you feel as a black man in America. I feel about the same as I did yesterday. because quite frankly this has always been. happening Simone and you know this there are. organizers as the black male voter project. in South Carolina in Georgia. in Florida there are so many African-American. men who have been organizing, and it's an easy excuse for the Democratic. Party to say that there's a gender split when.

in fact black voters and certainly. black male voters have voted in tandem. with black women. Even if you look at the numbers. in Florida right now. But here's another thing that I want to add. that I think is absolutely critical to this. When you look at what happened. to Scott Colom and the idea, Scott Colom and the idea that Cindy. Hyde-Smith is the one who denied. him becoming a federal judge. and how he's been so polite about that. But what you recognize, you guys know this, I'm a comic book guy. You know, Jack Napier creates Batman. and the Mandarin creates Iron Man. She created her own arch nemesis. And now we beat her.

And that is a result of hard work, effort, energy from black men, black women, and organizers around the country. And this is an amazing and almost sort. of karmic moment for America politically. Namni, this was not an easy win by any means. We've seen the grip that the state. of Mississippi has had on the ability to devote. I want to put it from the democracy docket, Mississippi's key democratic stronghold. rejected most affidavit ballots.

Mississippi has one of the most restrictive. election systems in the United States. It lacks no excuse mail voting, early voting and same day registration. Online registration practices common. in many other states with pro-voting policies. Talk a little bit about what was happening. on the ground to make sure. that this victory stood and a testament to. the voters who were not WHO STAYED IN LINE AND. MADE THEIR VOICES HEARD AND SHOWED UP TO THE.

POLLS AND DELIVERED A SEISMIC HISTORIC WIN. YEAH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN. WORK ON THE TELL THE GROUND HERE. FOR A LONG TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT VOTERS, ESPECIALLY YOUNG VOTERS, ARE AWARE OF EVERYTHING. THEY NEEDED TO DO, THE ADDITIONAL STEPS A. STATE LIKE MISSISSIPPI THAT'S WHAT HE REQUIRES OF. THEM. IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THE VOICE. IS HEARD. AMONG THE THINGS HERE, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, THERE'S NO SAME DAY VOTER REGISTRATION HERE. THERE'S NO AUTOMATIC VOTER REGISTRATION HERE. THERE WAS A DECISION BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO. USE. EXPERIENCE CREDIT DATA THAT'S.

BEING CITED FOR THE INCREASED. NUMBER OF VOTERS PLACED ON AN. INACTIVE VOTING LIST. SO, FOR MONTHS NOW, THERE HAS BEEN AN EFFORT ON. THE. SOME LEAD BY STUDENTS TO MAKE. SURE FOLKS KNOW WHAT THEY NEED. TO DO TO MAKE THEIR VOICE HEARD. THAT BEING SAID, I TALKED TO. PEOPLE OVER THE LAST COUPLE DAYS. THAT DID EVERYTHING THEY COULD. TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THEIR VOTE. COUNTED AND ULTIMATELY IT DIDN'T, INCLUDING YESTERDAY IN HINES COUNTY, I MET SOMEONE, HE'S STILL SITTING WITH ME. HE WENT TO THE CIRCUIT CLERK'S OFFICE.

ON TUESDAY AHEAD OF THAT 5 PM DEADLINE. TO SHOW AN ID, THINKING THAT WAS THE REASON WHY. HIS BALLOD HAD YET BEEN. HE'S TOLD THE CIRCUMENT CLERK'S OFFICE, NO, IT'S NOT THAT. YOU NEED TO GO TO THE ELECTION COMMISSIONER'S. OFFICE AND PROVIDE A SIGNATURE ON YOUR BALLOT. THIS VOTER THEN GOES TO THE ELECTION COMMISSIONER'S. OFFICE. AND PULL HIS BALLOT, THEY SAY, OH, SIR, WE'RE SO SORRY. IT'S NOT THAT YOU'RE MISSING A. SIGNATURE, IT'S THAT YOUR POLL WORKER. DIDN'T. INITIAL THE BALLOT. SO UNFORTUNATELY, PER THE LAWS OF THIS STATE, WE CAN'T YOU HAD VOTERS DOING WAY MORE. THAN MOST PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO DO.

TAKING TIME OUT OF THEIR DAY NOT. JUST TO GO TO THE POLLS ON ELECTION DAY BUT. THEN GO TO A CERTAIN CLERK OFFICE AND GO TO. A COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE ONLY TO STILL FIND. THAT THEY'RE FACING ADDITIONAL BARRIERS. SO A LOT OF LIGHT HAS BEEN SHINED ON THE. CHALLENGES PRESENTED BY. MISSISSIPPI'S VOTING LAWS AND ONE. THING THAT I'VE HEARD A LOT, ESPECIALLY FROM HINDS COUNTY. ELECTION OFFICIALS WHO FRANKLY. PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN INNUDATED WITH OBSERVERS, ATTORNEYS, JOURNALISTS FOR THE LAST SEVERAL. DAYS IS THAT THE SLOW PROCESS. YOU'RE SEEING HERE, THE.

THINGS LIKE AUTOMATIC VOTER REGISTRATION OR. SAME-DAY VOTER REGISTRATION. IF YOU WANT TO SEE A CHANGE, MAYBE NOW THE MISSISSIPPI STATE. LEGISLATURE CAN CONSIDER THINGS. LIKE AUTOMATIC VOTER VOTING LAWS. THAT MAKE IT HARDER TO VOTE HERE. THAN IN MANY OTHER. PARTS OF THIS COUNTRY. JASON, WHAT WE SAW PLAY OUT THIS. WEEK IS A RESULT OF VOTING LAWS. THAT MAKE IT HARDER TO VOTE HERE THAN IN MANY OTHER. parts. of this country.