Former Vice President Kamala Harris will be in Columbus on Thursday to campaign for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Scott Colom.
Colom, who is seeking to unseat incumbent Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, announced that Harris will visit Mississippi for what his campaign described as a “high-energy rally bringing together community leaders, students, and supporters from across Mississippi.”
The rally’s venue has not been announced, but the Colom campaign said doors will open at 4:30 p.m., with the event scheduled to run from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
“Hosted by Scott Colom for Senate, this rally is about building momentum, getting voters prepared to vote, and turning excitement into action heading into November,” the campaign said. “Whether you’re a student, a first-time voter, a longtime supporter, or simply ready to make your voice heard, we want you there.”
Harris will be the latest prominent national Democrat to visit Mississippi to campaign for Colom. Earlier this month, U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) campaigned for Colom in Gulfport. Last week, U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) visited Jackson, where he likened Colom’s campaign to his own upset victory in 2021.
On Oct. 27, exactly one week before the Nov. 3 election, former U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg will campaign for Colom in cities along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Colom has raised more than Hyde-Smith over the past three months, but she still has more cash on hand, and winning a U.S. Senate seat as a Democrat in Mississippi remains a steep challenge. In an effort to make history, Colom has not only enlisted prominent national Democrats to campaign for him but has also worked to position himself as a moderate who supports gun rights and securing the southern border.
Colom serves as a district attorney based in Lowndes County. Hyde-Smith, who is seeking her second full term in the Senate, is a former state senator and Mississippi agriculture commissioner. She has received consistent support from President Donald Trump, though it remains unclear whether he will visit Mississippi as part of his “midterm blitz.”
Trump visited the state several times in 2018 when Hyde-Smith defeated Democrat Mike Espy in a special election to win her first full Senate term.