Establishment Dems had written off Mississippi. Then the state elected its first Black senator since Reconstruction.This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Jolie Myers fact-checked by Gabriel Dunatov, engineered by David Tatasciore and Bridger Dunnagan, and hosted by Noel King.Mississippi Sen.-elect Scott Colom (D-MS) gestures to the crowd after his victory speech at Tougaloo College on Nov. 11, 2026 in Tougaloo, Mississippi. Photo by Aron Smith/Jackson State University via Getty Images.Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices