Democrat Scott Colom held a narrow lead of fewer than 2,000 votes over Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith, with roughly 96% of ballots counted. (AFP pic)WASHINGTON: Election officials in Mississippi were racing Friday to verify thousands of outstanding ballots in a razor-thin US Senate race, three days after Democrats swept to power in a historic defeat for President Donald Trump's Republicans.
Democrat Scott Colom held a narrow lead of fewer than 2,000 votes over Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith, with roughly 96% of ballots counted.
The unusually prolonged count reflects Mississippi's election procedures, which allow officials several days to process mail-in and provisional ballots -- potentially enough to decide the contest.
