US Senate candidate Scott Colom rallies with former Transportation Secretary Buttigieg ahead of general election

BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) — Democrat Scott Colom held a rally at St. John Community Center in Biloxi with former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg one week before the November general election. More than 1,000 people attended.

Colom is challenging Republican incumbent Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith for a U.S. Senate seat from Mississippi.

Local speakers open the rally

Before Colom and Buttigieg spoke, attendees heard from Rep. Jeffrey Hulum III and Gulfport City Councilwoman Carissa Corbett.

Hulum said: “For far too long, they told us to wait. Wait for better schools, wait for better bridges, wait for infrastructure, wait on leadership. Those days of waiting are long gone.”

Corbett said: “Don’t you allow the disappointment to discourage you, and don’t you allow anyone to convince you that participating in this democracy is a waste of time because your vote does matter.”

Colom criticizes Hyde-Smith’s infrastructure vote

Colom continued to criticize Hyde-Smith over actions he calls hypocritical and dishonest.

“Because our junior senator had a chance to put us first when it came to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill — a bill that brought billions of dollars to the state of Mississippi,” Colom said. “Roads and bridges, rural internet, the restoration of Amtrak from the Gulf Coast to New Orleans. She had an opportunity to put the Gulf Coast first, and she voted against that money.”

Buttigieg joins Colom on stage

Colom then handed the microphone to Buttigieg.

Buttigieg echoed Colom’s statements and criticized Hyde-Smith over corruption in Washington.

“They’ve got members of Congress lining their pockets trading stocks while they are taking votes that move markets, and your junior senator voted against doing something to ban stock trading,” Buttigieg said.

Speakers address national stakes

After the rally, Buttigieg and Colom spoke about how a Democratic win in Mississippi could shape the country’s future.

“I’m going to a lot of places, including a lot of places that are considered 50-50, and rarely do I see the passion and the commitment that I just saw and heard in that room,” Buttigieg said. “What that tells me is that people are ready to turn out.”

“If enough people come out, then Scott Colom will be the next United States senator,” Buttigieg said. “So, that enthusiasm, especially on our side, is incredibly important. I think it’s what has put this state in play.”

Colom said: “If you like high gas, high groceries, health care unaffordable, hospitals closing, corruption, betrayal, vote for Cindy Hyde-Smith. She’s made it absolutely clear in interview after interview, she’s not going to change one single thing.”

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