Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith has spent more than $854,000 on a single attack advertisement targeting her Democratic challenger, Scott Colom, as her re-election bid in Mississippi has become far tighter than expected. The ad, which debuted Sept. 10, labels Colom a “transgender defender” and describes him as the “most radical Senate candidate of our lifetime.”
While Hyde-Smith remains the expected winner, the volatility of the race was highlighted Monday when President Trump attended a rally for her in Corinth, Miss. Trump stated, “I’m here because Cindy is doing great, but I’ve just got to make sure.”
Senator and Super PAC Air Competing Attack Ads
The senator’s campaign aired its attack ad over 2,800 times across television markets in Memphis, Tenn., and Mississippi. However, spending on the spot appears to have decreased recently, with less than $150,000 spent to air it between Oct. 19 and Oct. 26.
Simultaneously, the left-leaning New Deal for All super PAC has spent over $329,000 in the last week alone to air an ad more than 1,200 times. This specific advertisement features Jena-Lisa Jones, an Epstein survivor, who urges voters to oppose Hyde-Smith to protect children.
The Epstein Files Dispute
The New Deal for All advertisement focuses on a 51-49 vote from last year that indefinitely postponed an amendment requiring then-Attorney General Pam Bondi to fully release the Epstein files.
In a statement to the Mississippi Free Press, Hyde-Smith defended her position, stating, “I do want transparency, and I support releasing information that can legally be released while protecting Epstein’s victims.” She further argued that a “procedural vote on one amendment” is not equivalent to claiming the files should remain secret.
Contrasting Campaign Narratives
The attack ads flooding the race present two distinct versions of the candidates. Hyde-Smith’s campaign focuses on Colom’s perceived radicalism, while opposing ads portray Hyde-Smith as an “out-of-touch senator” who prioritizes rich donors over her constituents.
