Chances are, no one will be watching how the battle for control of U.S. Senate turns out more closely than Scott Colom.

As of Wednesday morning, the balance of power rested on the outcome of five Senate races still too close to call. Democrats need to win two of those seats to maintain de facto control (Independents Angus King and Bernie Sanders reliably vote with the Democrats) with Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris again representing any tie-breaking vote.

Colom was twice elected as a Democrat for District Attorney in the 16th District, but his interest in this goes beyond party preference.

Last November, U.S. Congressman Bennie Thompson of Mississippi sent a letter of recommendation to President Biden urging him to nominate Colom as a replacement for Judge Michael Mills for U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi. Mills had retired earlier that month after 20 years in the position.

Three weeks ago, Biden confirmed he had nominated Colom for the judgeship.

Now it’s up to a sharply-divided Senate to confirm or reject the nomination and which party is in control of the Senate may prove decisive if Colom is to become just the second Black judge to ever hold the position.

These judicial appointments have alway featured a partisan element, with the president recommending a member of his own party for the positions. In recent years, partisan politics has been an even bigger factor, so it’s likely that Colom’s nomination will be determined by a party-line vote. Mississippi’s Senators — Republicans Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith — have not gone on record concerning Colom’s nomination, although both have rarely broken ranks with the party.

That is not to say that Colom does not have some bi-partisan support. In an October editorial board meeting with the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal in Tupelo, Republican District 1 U.S. Representative Trent Kelly, himself a former district attorney, said Colom was a personal friend and praised Colom’s work as a district attorney.

Although the House plays no role in the confirmation process, it’s worth noting that with the support of Thompson and Kelly, half of the state’s U.S. House delegation has gone on record in support of Colom’s nomination.

Colom, a Columbus native,  is a familiar figure in the Golden Triangle, of course. Colom is a former city prosecutor for Columbus and municipal judge for Aberdeen. He was appointed the youngest (age 28) and first Black justice court judge in Lowndes County history in 2011 and was appointed municipal court judge in 2012.

As district attorney since 2016, he has worked on a wide range of cases and partnered with other local and state officials in prosecutions. He also has experience in private practice, working in the law firm of his father, Wil Colom, for six years at the beginning of his career.

In 2015, when Colom defeated Forrest Allgood, who had been the district attorney for 30 years, we were impressed with how smoothly the transition went, given the close relationship Allgood had established in the D.A.’s office over the years. Colom handled the transition with fairness and respect. There were no defections among the staff, which speaks to Colom’s ability to work with others.

If the Democrats maintain control of the Senate, Colom may not need the support of either Wicker or Hyde-Smith. Even so, we hope our Senators will support Colom’s nomination, based on his qualifications and character.

The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.

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