“Mississippi matters,” Colom insisted throughout a recent day of campaigning. White voters opt by a 4-1 ratio or more for Republicans. Younger white voters trend slightly less Republican, but they’re also less likely to vote. Taylor said registration and turnout efforts by the NAACP and other groups could draw 75,000 more Black voters, enough to close recent gaps. But Colom outpaced Hyde-Smith among individual contributors, $1.9 million to $1.8 million, from the start of 2025.