Senate candidate returns to Colombus and demands debate

Merry MacLellan
Editor-in-chief

On Oct. 1, Scott Colom again challenged Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, his opponent in the U.S. Senate race, to participate in a debate. 

He made the challenge at a news conference in Columbus, one of the many in the past few weeks held by Colom, who serves as the district attorney for Circuit Court District 16. He called for a debate to happen before the Nov. 3 midterm election.  

Colom has previously accepted invitations from WLBT and WJTV in Jackson for debates and has extended an invitation for a third debate with Hyde-Smith, with her choice of moderating news station. Colom reiterated this invitation to the senator before turning his attention to voters’ concerns. 

“She won’t do a town hall, and she won’t do a debate, because she wants to lie and hide,” Colom said. “It’s not me she’s disrespected. She’s disrespecting the voters in Mississippi.”  

Scott Colom demanding Cindy Hyde-Smith debates him.
Photos by Merry MacLellan

Colom said numerous issues are impacting Mississippi voters, including a low minimum wage, rising prices because of tariffs and the ongoing war with Iran. He also reminded voters of past events in which Hyde-Smith voted in the interest of tax breaks, causing cuts to Medicaid and SNAP benefits in March of this year.  

During the press conference, Colom was asked how he would help Mississippians gain access to higher education as the prices of tuition have risen, and access to federal student loans are potentially restricted under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.  

“And I will prioritize making sure every Mississippian that wants to go to higher learning has the opportunity to do that,” Colom said.  

Colom urged undecided voters to remember the value of the state and stand against what he called corruption. He encouraged voters to look at his past success and track record in court when considering who would fight for them and for the state.  

“I am promising a senator that’s gonna fight for Mississippi,” Colom said. “That’s what I fight for.”  

The deadline for Hyde-Smith to respond to the formal invitation for the third debate Colom and his team sent is 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2. As of now, her campaign has yet to respond.  

Knowing your representative: a conversation with Rep. McLean

By Merry MacLellan

Editor-in-Chief

While the Mississippi legislative session officially runs from January to May, the rest of the year is still busy for Rep. Dana McLean as she prepares for the next session, works in her committees and meets with her local constituents.  

Representative Dana McLean for the Mississppi House District 39.

Photo courtesy of legislature.ms.gov

One of the many things that has filled her schedule is planning and preparation as she has announced to run again for the Mississippi House of Representatives. On top of having to plan for the legislative session, McLean is planning for the possibility of redistricting.  

In April, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Louisiana v. Callais, it overturned parts of the Voting Rights Act that had allowed districts to be drawn up according to voter’s racial demographics. Many Mississippians prepared for the possibility that, along with Louisiana and Tennessee, the state would be the next to redraw district lines. However, Gov. Tate Reeves announced in May that this would not occur until after midterm elections in November.  

“I believe that we will be called back to special session before January,” said McLean. “I believe we will be called back this fall. 

“And it may not be congressional districts that we redraw, but it appears that we will be redrawing our own statewide districts.”  

For McLean and others preparing for reelection, the possibility of a redraw could completely change the map of their districts. This raises the possibility that the election cycle could look very different from what McLean has experienced the past two times she has run for office.  

Until that special session is called, McLean has spent her time serving on her committees and visiting her constituents. In May, she participated as a Faculty in Residence for Mississippi University for Women’s NEW Leadership Mississippi summer summit. More recently, she visited the Possumtown Book Festival in Columbus on Aug. 29.  

McLean serves on seven committees in the Mississippi House, including the Universities and Colleges Committee, the Education Committee and the Youth and Family Services Committee. With District 39 containing parts of The W campus, and a personal history with the university, McLean has served as a diligent representative for the university and for the Mississippi School of Mathematics and Sciences.  

“So, it is woven through all of my memories and personal history,” said McLean. “So, it is very important to me that The W remains autonomous and remain independent and remain.”  

When asked about the possibility of The W potentially facing a merge with Mississippi State University as has been attempted in past legislative sessions, McLean was confident that would not be on the agenda for the 2027 session. She stated that there has yet to be any mention of it in a bill and that next year’s election would keep most controversial bills pushed off.  

Included in the discussion about the future of The W, McLean also discussed what the future of MSMS looks like in accordance with the legislature.  

“Yeah, I think that at this point, MSMS somewhat depends on what happens to The W,” said McLean.  

For McLean, while her time at the Capitol is important, much of her work comes from meeting with constituents and listening to the problems her communities face. Before she was even sworn into office in 2020, McLean was already meeting with constituents to help their voices be heard in Jackson.  

From people stopping her in the grocery store, to neighbors, to strangers who have sent a letter or called her, McLean wants it to be known why she was elected to her position.  

“I give out my card to everybody,” said McLean.  

For information on how to contact McLean, or on how to contact any of the state representatives, visit legislature.ms.gov/legislators/representatives