Gavin Newsom and Marc Elias, a prominent Democratic election lawyer, are mobilizing in support of Scott Colom as the Mississippi Senate race remains too close to call. Newsom's campaign is soliciting emergency donations, and Elias' law firm is preparing for a potential legal challenge over the final vote count.
Newsom's campaign sent out a fundraising email warning that the race was entering "a phase of ballot curing and possible legal fights," noting that Colom was leading the incumbent by only a few hundred votes. Elias stated that his firm is "leading the legal effort to ensure" Colom's victory.
The race between Colom and Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith remained uncalled as of Wednesday, with thousands of ballots yet to be processed. Unofficial results showed Colom ahead by a slim margin, with an estimated 44,000 ballots outstanding, including absentee, affidavit, and provisional ballots. Mississippi law allows absentee ballots postmarked by Election Day to be received up to five business days later, and voters can cure certain ballot issues during this period. The Mississippi Democratic Party has also filed a court challenge alleging issues such as delayed polling-place openings and ballot shortages in DeSoto County.
Elias is a well-known figure in Democratic politics, having served as general counsel for Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign and led a legal team for Joe Biden's 2020 campaign. He later founded Elias Law Group, which has represented various Democratic committees and candidates in election disputes.
