• 3 mins to read

Scott Colom, Democratic challenger for U.S. Senate and 16th Circuit district attorney, thinks Republican incumbent Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith is too “chicken” to debate him.

Colom doubled down on that point Thursday morning during a press conference while flanked by supporters, including someone dressed in a chicken costume, at the corner of College Street and Fifth Street South.

“So far she is refusing to debate because she is chicken,” Colom said. “… She doesn’t need to debate because of me. What she is really doing is mocking you. She doesn’t want voters to be able to ask her one question.”

On Tuesday, Colom challenged Hyde-Smith to three debates before Election Day. After two days, the challenge remained unanswered, prompting Thursday’s press conference downtown.

But Jake Monssen, Hyde-Smith’s campaign manager, told The Dispatch on Thursday afternoon the debate requests will remain unanswered because the senator does not feel it is necessary.

“Losing candidates always want a debate about debates,” Jake Monssen, Hyde-Smith’s campaign manager, wrote in a statement to The Dispatch. “Scott Colom wants one because he needs one. There really is no point in debating someone so out of touch with Mississippi that advocates for sex change surgeries for children.”

In June 2021, Colom signed a joint statement with 73 other elected prosecutors and law enforcement leaders throughout the country stating they do not support the criminalization of doctors or parents who help individuals through gender-affirming care or of those who use facilities aligned with their gender identity.

Colom told The Dispatch in September, when he announced his campaign for Senate, that he does not support gender affirming surgeries for minors. He also said he does not support biological boys playing girls’ sports.

Yet, throughout the campaign season, Hyde-Smith has brought up Colom’s support for gender-affirming care, even citing it as a reason for blocking Colom’s nomination to be a federal judge in 2023.

“She says I’m out of touch, and that’s why she doesn’t want to debate,” Colom said at the press conference. “But here’s the truth. There is nothing out of touch with wanting to raise the minimum wage.”

Colom believes Mississippi voters deserve a debate to hear from the candidates vying for their vote in the November election.

He pushed for the first two debates to be hosted in Jackson by WLBT and WJTV, respectively. Colom said Hyde-Smith could choose the network for the third debate, but he hoped to have it in Columbus.

Gerard Henderson, Colom’s campaign manager, sent an open letter to the Hyde-Smith campaign on Tuesday outlining Colom’s challenge and requests.

Henderson requested a response from Hyde-Smith or her team by 5 p.m. Friday.
Even without a debate, Colom hopes to return to Columbus or Lowndes County and host a town hall event before the Nov. 3 general election.