Cindy Hyde-Smith Secures Her Victory In Mississippi Senate Runoff

This race was never really in question, but many are still breathing a sigh of relief that it’s OVER.

Cindy Hyde-Smith defeated Mike Espy in Mississippi’s Senate runoff. It had to go to a runoff because neither candidate secured 50% of the vote during the general election. In the first race, Hyde-Smith won 41.2 percent, Espy won 40.8 percent and Chris McDaniel (another Republican candidate) garnered 16.5 percent.

Results from last night:

Congratulations to Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith on your big WIN in the Great State of Mississippi. We are all very proud of you!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 28, 2018

HISTORY: With @CindyHydeSmith’s win in the Mississippi runoff election, 24 women will serve in the U.S. Senate — a new record. 17 Democratic women and 7 Republican women will serve alongside 76 men.

— Ed O’Keefe (@edokeefe) November 28, 2018

“This win tonight, this victory, it’s about our conservative values,” Hyde-Smith said. “It’s about the things that mean the most to all of us Mississippians: Our faith, our family. But it’s those things that I will take to Washington, D.C., that I want to represent all of Mississippians with these values. And I will fight for it, I assure you, every single day. I am your warrior.”

“The reason I was elected tonight — because the people in Mississippi, they know me, and they know that I’m going to represent everybody. I always have; that’s always been the case,” she continued.

“This is not my first race. This is the sixth race that I have won,” she added. “I’ve been on the ballot five times before this. Mississippians know me. Other people try to turn it into something that it’s not, and they don’t believe them. They know who I am. I’ve been around awhile, and I have a long, very good history — very good record of public service. They know who I am.”

“Being on that MAGA-wagon, the Make American Great Again bus, we have bonded, we have persevered, we have gotten through things, we were successful today”: Cindy Hyde-Smith thanks staff and supporters after winning runoff election. https://t.co/lyHm1wyUFr pic.twitter.com/xDRXjJP89y

— CBS News (@CBSNews) November 28, 2018

“I want everybody to know, no matter who you voted for today, I’m gonna always represent every Mississippian,” says Cindy Hyde-Smith, after Senate runoff win. https://t.co/lyHm1wyUFr pic.twitter.com/BDeaRBjRHk

— CBS News (@CBSNews) November 28, 2018

Espy conceded quickly.

“While this is not the result we were hoping for, I am proud of the historic campaign we ran and grateful for the support we received across Mississippi,” he said.

“She has my prayers as she goes to Washington to unite a very divided Mississippi,” says Mike Espy after his opponent Cindy Hyde-Smith wins Senate runoff. https://t.co/p6K0GXcPxP pic.twitter.com/5GziH7Vodn

— CBS News (@CBSNews) November 28, 2018

This win leaves Republicans with a 53-47 majority in the Senate.