Who is Ty Pinkins and what is Pinkins running on in the 2026 Mississippi Senate race?

Ty Pinkins is the independent candidate for Mississippi U.S. Senate. Vicksburg attorney and Army veteran; former White House communications aide; 2024 Democratic Senate nominee and 2023 secretary of state candidate. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026.

The race

• The seat: Incumbent Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith seeking re-election.
• Polling: Hyde-Smith 44, Colom 38, Pinkins (I) 7 (Data for Progress, Aug 5 to 15, 2026; left-leaning firm).

Why Pinkins is behind

• Mississippi voted for Trump by a wide margin in 2024 and hasn’t elected a Democratic senator since 1982; no sitting Mississippi senator has lost since 1942.
• Incumbency and money: Hyde-Smith has $2.54M cash on hand vs Colom’s $847K, plus Trump’s endorsement.
• Colom’s opening: Hyde-Smith has a net-negative favorability, and an independent (Pinkins, 7%) splits the anti-incumbent vote.
• Colom attacks her vote for Trump’s tax package and on tariffs and beef prices.

What Pinkins is running on

• Cost of living. Says voters want action on the affordability of healthcare, gas and groceries.
• Debates. Pushing for public debates and forums.

The other candidates

• Cindy Hyde-Smith (R)
• Scott Colom (D)

Every race

See every Senate and governor race on the ballot, with each candidate’s chance of winning: the 2026 midterms at a glance.