Independent candidate Ty Pinkins, who finished third in Mississippi's closely contested Senate race, stated that he does not believe his campaign spoiled the election for the Democrat and suggested his votes might have even helped.
With a slim margin separating Democrat Scott Colom and incumbent Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, Pinkins currently holds approximately 20,000 votes. He expressed hope for Colom's victory, telling CNN on Wednesday that his campaign "did the opposite of a spoiler".
Pinkins claimed that a significant portion of his support originated from traditionally Republican counties. "You can't assume that all of those votes would have went right back to Scott Colom," he said, referencing the state's Republican voting history, and added, "I'm happy that we drew votes from Cindy Hyde-Smith."
As of Thursday, with 96% of the expected vote reported, Colom leads with 49.0% (466,226 votes) to Hyde-Smith's 48.9% (464,502 votes). Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson noted on Wednesday that around 3,600 mail-in ballots could still be received within five business days, and an unknown number of affidavit ballots will be processed within the 10-day certification window.
The Mississippi Secretary of State's office has confirmed that the state does not have a formal recount process. Candidates cannot request a recount, nor can one be automatically triggered. However, candidates can conduct a "ballot box exam" and inspect ballot materials after certification. If issues are identified, a legal challenge can be filed. ABC News has not yet projected a winner in the race.