- The incumbent U.S. Senator’s likely Democrat general election opponent touts raising nearly $600,000 after a fundraiser hosted by George Soros’ son in New York. See where other Mississippi midterm candidates stand.
Candidates running for U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives were to file their third quarter campaign finance reports with the Federal Election Commission by October 15.
As of early Thursday morning, not all of the announced candidates’ filings are showing on the FEC website.
However, of those candidates who have announced a run for office in Mississippi in the 2026 midterm election, U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, a Republican, leads the pack in terms of cash on hand so far this cycle, reporting $2.34 million. She is being challenged by at least two GOP candidates in the Republican Primary. Only one of those candidate’s campaign finance reports is currently showing, that being Sarah Adlakha, who reported $122,000 cash on hand after previously reporting a loan to her campaign of over $200,000.
Hyde-Smith, who has already been endorsed by President Donald Trump (R) for re-election, has served in the U.S. Senate since 2018 after being appointed by former Governor Phil Bryant (R) to fill the unexpired term of retiring Senator Thad Cochran. She is the first woman to represent the Magnolia State at the federal level.
On the Democrat side of the Senate race, the party’s chosen candidate Scott Colom called his campaign fundraising effort in the first month “an extraordinary and historic milestone” for a Democrat in Mississippi.
While his report is not currently showing on the FEC website to verify the amounts, his campaign said it raised nearly $600,000 and has roughly $580,000 cash on hand.
“This is the most any Democratic Senate candidate in Mississippi has ever raised in their first quarter. The previous best was $400,000,” Colom’s campaign said.
As previously reported by Magnolia Tribune, Alex Soros, the son and heir apparent of George Soros’ political empire, hosted a New York fundraiser for Colom in September. The Colom campaign did not respond for a request for comment on why he chose to welcome the younger Soros into his campaign after seeking to distance himself from the elder Soros’ previous campaign support.
Colom’s campaign also failed to respond when asked how much was raised at the New York event, who attended, and if the candidate planned to continue to utilize Soros and his network of donors to raise out-of-state funds to support his race in Mississippi.
READ MORE: Next generation of Soros hosts fundraiser for Scott Colom
In 2015, George Soros was the sole donor to a political action committee that made $716,000 in expenditures to support Colom’s successful bid to unseat former District Attorney Forrest Allgood in Mississippi’s 16th Judicial District. Yet, Colom has repeatedly sought to downplay the connection between he and Soros in the early days of his 2026 Senate campaign.
Colom does have competition in the Democratic primary, with Priscilla Till and Albert Littell in the race. Like Colom, neither of their campaign finance reports were showing on the FEC website at this time.
Down ticket, 2nd District Congressman Bennie Thompson is second in total cash on hand this reporting period, showing $1.67 million. He is being challenged by fellow Democrat Bennie Foster and Republican Ron Eller. Foster’s FEC report is not showing at this time, but Eller’s shows him with $44,000 cash on hand. Eller ran unsuccessfully in both 2022 and 2024.
Like Thompson, the incumbent Republicans in Mississippi’s other three congressional districts are far outpacing their likely competition, whether that be in a GOP primary or the general election against a Democrat nominee.
1st District Congressman Trent Kelly reported $677,000 cash on hand while 3rd District Congressman Michael Guest reported $823,000 and 4th District Congressman Mike Ezell reported $345,000.
The qualifying period for those running for a seat in the U.S. House or U.S. Senate in Mississippi opens December 1 and ends December 26. Party primary elections will be held March 10, 2026, and the General Election is slated for November 3, 2026.
You can see a full rundown of third quarter FEC reports filed by Mississippi candidates below. Check back as more reports are filed and updated fundraising totals are added.
U.S. Senate
Republicans
- Cindy Hyde-Smith (incumbent)
- Raised 3rd Quarter: $1.06 million
- Cash on Hand: $2.34 million
- Sarah Adlakha
- Raised 3rd Quarter: $57,000
- Cash on Hand: $122,000
- Andrew Smith
- Raised 3rd Quarter: $
- Cash on Hand: $
Democrats
- Scott Colom
- Raised 3rd Quarter: $
- Cash on Hand: $
- Priscilla Till
- Raised 3rd Quarter: $
- Cash on Hand: $
- Albert Littell
- Raised 3rd Quarter: $
- Cash on Hand: $
Independent
- Ty Pinkins
- Raised 3rd Quarter: $
- Cash on Hand: $
1st Congressional District
Republicans
- Trent Kelly (incumbent)
- Raised 3rd Quarter: $185,000
- Cash on Hand: $677,000
Democrats
- Cliff Johnson
- Raised 3rd Quarter: $
- Cash on Hand: $
- Kelvin Buck
- Raised 3rd Quarter: $7,500
- Cash on Hand: $8,500
- Montravius Hall
- Raised 3rd Quarter: $
- Cash on Hand: $
2nd Congressional District
Republicans
- Ron Eller
- Raised 3rd Quarter: $6,300
- Cash on Hand: $44,000
Democrats
- Bennie Thompson (incumbent)
- Raised 3rd Quarter: $104,000
- Cash on Hand: $1.67 million
- Bennie Foster
- Raised 3rd Quarter: $
- Cash on Hand: $
3rd Congressional District
Republicans
- Michael Guest (incumbent)
- Raised 3rd Quarter: $378,000
- Cash on Hand: $823,000
- Justin James
- Raised 3rd Quarter: $
- Cash on Hand: $
Democrats
- Michael Chiaradio
- Raised 3rd Quarter: $6,000
- Cash on Hand: $5,700
4th Congressional District
Republicans
- Mike Ezell (incumbent)
- Raised 3rd Quarter: $225,000
- Cash on Hand: $345,000
- Sawyer Walters
- Raised 3rd Quarter: $
- Cash on Hand: $
Democrats
- Paul Blackman
- Raised 3rd Quarter: $
- Cash on Hand: $
Frank Corder
