The third candidate will decide the outcome of the Senate elections in Mississippi

The Mississippi Senate race is extremely tight, with Scott Colom leading Cindy Hyde-Smith by just 28 votes after counting over 97% of ballots. Ty Pinkins, a third-party candidate, has garnered 19,934 votes, which could significantly impact the outcome, as he is believed to draw votes away from Colom. Despite calls for Pinkins to withdraw, he remains in the race, expressing skepticism about the Democratic Party's chances in Mississippi. The last Democrat to win a Senate seat in the state was John C. Stennis in 1982. The election follows a plurality rule, meaning the candidate with the most votes wins, even if they do not achieve an outright majority.