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Obama rallies in Georgia for Ossoff and Bottoms, mocks Trump's reaction to his jab On tape: Obama lists the pay-to-play deals, then concludes: "This is a culture that's set at the top." Stevens's fiancé says he'll vote for Rogers; El-Sayed camp says its tent is big Utah files felony charges against Kalshi and its two founders over prediction markets Epstein survivor's ad hits Hyde-Smith as Mississippi Senate race tightens before Nov. 3 Nearly 33 million early ballots cast as midterms near, tracking data shows House Democrats say they're 'nauseously optimistic' about retaking the House Tuesday New polls show Democrats gaining in red-state Senate races with one week to go Trump approves Isaias aid for Florida's public repairs, but storm-hit families still wait On tape: Van Hollen asks Kash Patel if he knows lying to Congress is a crime. Patel won't say yes. Obama rallies in Georgia for Ossoff and Bottoms, mocks Trump's reaction to his jab On tape: Obama lists the pay-to-play deals, then concludes: "This is a culture that's set at the top." Stevens's fiancé says he'll vote for Rogers; El-Sayed camp says its tent is big Utah files felony charges against Kalshi and its two founders over prediction markets Epstein survivor's ad hits Hyde-Smith as Mississippi Senate race tightens before Nov. 3 Nearly 33 million early ballots cast as midterms near, tracking data shows House Democrats say they're 'nauseously optimistic' about retaking the House Tuesday New polls show Democrats gaining in red-state Senate races with one week to go Trump approves Isaias aid for Florida's public repairs, but storm-hit families still wait On tape: Van Hollen asks Kash Patel if he knows lying to Congress is a crime. Patel won't say yes.

Midterms 2026 · Report · File No. 261029-841

Epstein survivor's ad hits Hyde-Smith as Mississippi Senate race tightens before Nov. 3

An outside group's ad features an Epstein survivor attacking Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith over a 2025 vote. It adds to a late fight in a state Trump won by about 23 points in 2024.

By the Campaign Desk · · 2 min read

Every quote in this story (2) was matched word for word against its source. How we work

The Epstein FilesThe full timeline, the official documents and the video, on one page →
Cindy Hyde-Smith
Cindy Hyde-Smith. Photo: United States Senate, Public domain

Mississippi's Senate race has turned into an ad war in its final week. One spot features Jena-Lisa Jones, who says Jeffrey Epstein abused her when she was in her early teens. It targets Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith over a 2025 vote 1.

The ad comes from New Deal for All, a political committee registered in October 2026 and launched by Florida lawyer Steve Pajcic. It is not from the campaign of Democratic nominee Scott Colom. It is one of three Epstein-survivor ads the group is running, and the others target Republican senators in other states 1.

The vote at the center of the ad

In September 2025, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer tried to attach the Epstein Files Transparency Act to the annual defense policy bill. Hyde-Smith was one of 51 Republicans who voted to table the amendment, which effectively killed it 1.

Two months later, the Senate passed the defense bill by unanimous consent, so no recorded vote took place on it 1. In the ad, Jones accuses Hyde-Smith of voting to protect the sex trafficker who abused her 1.

From Channel GOPColom: Hyde-Smith skipped town halls for six yearsScott Colom · 132 plays · captioned, with the source named
voting to protect the sex trafficker who abused me.
Jena-Lisa Jones, Epstein survivor, in a New Deal for All ad1

Hyde-Smith's campaign manager, Jake Monssen, called the ad "partisan propaganda paid for by people aligned with George Soros and national Democrats." He said the senator "has consistently stood with victims of human trafficking" 1.

A fight over an AI video

The Mississippi Republican Party also asked Attorney General Lynn Fitch on Oct. 22 to investigate a Colom ad. It uses an AI-generated image of Hyde-Smith running from reporters at the U.S. Capitol. The ad says it is "based on a true story" but does not say AI was used 2.

State GOP chairman Mike Hurst cited a state law that makes it a crime to knowingly spread a deceptive AI-generated depiction of a candidate within 90 days of an election. The article notes the law does not cover satire or parody, which could apply here 2.

Colom's campaign manager, Gerard Henderson, defended the campaign's use of AI in an Oct. 22 statement to the Mississippi Free Press 2. Those are allegations from a political party. The article reports no finding that the law was broken 2.

This is clearly an act of desperation and an attempt to weaponize public office against political opponents.
Gerard Henderson, campaign manager for Scott Colom, Democrat-Mississippi2

How close is it?

A Change Research poll, taken Oct. 21-22 for the 365 Project, put Hyde-Smith at 43%, Colom at 40% and independent Ty Pinkins at 6%. The margin of error was 3.5 points. Change Research is a Democratic firm 3.

A Wedgewood poll taken Oct. 12-14 had Hyde-Smith ahead 52% to 48% 3. The Cook Political Report, which rates races, moved the contest from "Solid Republican" to "Likely Republican." Inside Elections still rates it "Solid Republican" 3.

Trump rallied for Hyde-Smith in Corinth on Oct. 26. Colom said she was scared of questions about health care cuts, farmers and the Epstein files, and he dared the president to debate him 3.

That matters because Trump won Mississippi by about 23 points in 2024 3. Republicans are still favored in the state. But a president spending a Monday there six days before the vote shows the race is closer than usual. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.

The Record

  1. Colom posted a fake phone call video on Sept. 3, 2025, when kicking off his campaign 2.
  2. In September 2025, Hyde-Smith was among 51 Republicans who voted to table a Schumer amendment on the Epstein files 1.
  3. The Mississippi GOP asked Attorney General Lynn Fitch to investigate Colom's AI-generated ad 2.
  4. Trump rallied for Hyde-Smith in Corinth, Mississippi 3.

Sources

  1. MS NOW, “Two Epstein survivors enter the battle for Congress with ads against GOP senators” (2026-10-19). ms.now/news/epstein-survivors-political-ad-2026-kansas-senat
  2. Mississippi Free Press, “Mississippi GOP Accuses Scott Colom of Illegally Using AI to Depict Cindy Hyde-Smith” (2026-10-22). mississippifreepress.org/mississippi-gop-accuses-scott-colom
  3. IBTimes UK, “Why Trump Flew to Corinth: Mississippi Senate Poll Has Hyde-Smith Just Three Points Ahead of Scott Colom” (2026-10-27). ibtimes.co.uk/trump-rallies-hyde-smith-mississippi-senate-ra

Found an error? Tell the newsroom. Corrections are noted at the top of the story.

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