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Cindy Hyde-Smith

Republican candidate for United States Senate, Mississippi · Incumbent

U.S. senator from Mississippi; cattle farmer

Cindy Hyde-Smith is the Republican incumbent U.S. senator from Mississippi. She was appointed in April 2018 to succeed Thad Cochran, after serving as a state senator and as Mississippi's agriculture commissioner. She won the March 10, 2026 Republican primary with 80.8% of the vote and is seeking a second full term.

Where Hyde-Smith stands

Social Security: Opposes privatizing Social Security and says she will not support benefit cuts for people who have already paid in. Says she voted for the Social Security Fairness Act and proposes stronger economic growth and an end to program waste to keep it solvent.
Health care: Opposes universal government-run health care and Medicare for All. Supports a targeted federal role: keeping critical-access rural hospitals open, expanding telehealth, and cutting prior-authorization delays.
Abortion: Says there is no constitutional right to abortion and chairs the Senate Pro-Life Caucus. Opposes taxpayer funding of abortion and mail-order abortion drugs, and supports in-person safeguards for chemical abortion.
Housing: Says housing costs are a supply problem. Voted for the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, supports repealing Biden-era home energy mandates, and cosponsored the FARM Home Loans Act to expand rural lending.
Higher education: Opposes "free college." Supports transparency on graduation rates and earnings, targeted aid, and workforce training; cosponsored the College Transparency Act.
Maternal health: Supports keeping rural hospitals and obstetric units open, expanding telehealth and prenatal care, the MOMS Act, and her Rural Mothers and Fathers Choice Act.
Agriculture: Says Congress needs to pass a new Farm Bill and lists standing with farmers among her top priorities for another term.
Energy: Supports expanding American energy production with American workers and argues that limiting domestic production strengthens U.S. adversaries.
Second Amendment: Holds an enhanced-carry permit and says she supports protecting the constitutional right of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms.

Background

U.S. Senator from Mississippi, April 2018–present (appointed 2018; won 2018 special election and 2020 election)
Chair, Senate Transportation-HUD Appropriations Subcommittee; member, Senate Agriculture Committee
Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce, 2012–2018
Mississippi State Senator, District 39, 2000–2012 (switched from Democrat to Republican in 2010)
Cattle farmer; partner in family stockyard auction market
Education: A.A., Copiah-Lincoln Community College; B.A., University of Southern Mississippi

In the news

Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith Calls To Strip Abortion Services From Obamacare Plans Yahoo News, October 22, 2026
Democrats spend to oust Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi Washington Times, October 20, 2026
Mississippi midterms: Colom trying to capitalize on economic discontent. Hyde-Smith trying to tie him to far left Mississippi Today, September 21, 2026
YOUR DECISION 2026: Cindy Hyde-Smith Q&A Starkville Daily News, September 20, 2026

Also running for United States Senate

Scott Colom Democratic
Ty Pinkins Independent

Sources

Last researched October 23, 2026. Written in neutral language from the sources above. Spot an error? See how to report it.