President Trump visited Mississippi on Monday to support Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith in a surprisingly tight Senate race. Both parties are pouring millions into the contest against Scott Colom. Trump told the crowd, "I'm here because Cindy is doing great," as he campaigned to ensure a win in the red state.
President Trump on Monday was the latest big political star to swing through Mississippi and boost a candidate in a red-state Senate race that suddenly seems competitive.
Some of the two party's biggest names, including President Trump and his opponent in 2024, Kamala Harris, have dropped in for rallies. Money is flowing in the millions of dollars. The airwaves are saturated with cutting political ads.
All for a Senate race in Mississippi, one of the most Republican states in the country.
The race between Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, an incumbent Republican, and Scott Colom, a district attorney with deep roots in the state, has raised a tantalizing question in the final days of the midterm season: Could Mississippi, a state flickering on the outskirts of the Democratic Party's wildest ambitions, actually be in play?
Mr. Trump's rally on Monday night with Ms. Hyde-Smith in Corinth, a short drive from the Tennessee border, seemed to indicate that it might be.
"I'm here because Cindy is doing great," the president told the packed arena. "But I've just got to make sure."
He went on to Mr. Colom. "How the hell do you say that guy's name?" he asked, adding, "I don't have to go into him -- he's a disaster."
Mr. Colom seemed happy to take the slight. His campaign posted photos showing him at Mr. Trump's rally talking to voters in line.
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