Scott Colom, a Black Democratic lawmaker, has won Mississippi’s tight US Senate race, marking a milestone in the Republican-dominated state's history.

After more than a week of vote counting, Colom defeated Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith on Wednesday, becoming Mississippi’s first Black senator since the post-Civil War Reconstruction era of the 19th century.

The narrow victory represents a seismic shift in Mississippi, which has been controlled mostly by white conservatives for generations despite having the highest proportion of Black residents of any US state.

The state of Mississippi has a long history of violent racial division and has shown more resistance to the struggle for Black equality than any other place in the United States.

Violent racial discrimination has traditionally been condoned in Mississippi's politics and society.

During the election campaign, Colom said he would not be intimidated by white supremacists and pledged that, if elected, he would represent all of Mississippi—both Black and White residents—a promise he reiterated after his victory.

Addressing a crowd of celebrating supporters gathered at Tougaloo College, he said, “I had the courage to believe in Mississippi. I had the courage to understand that we can show the country that Mississippi matters.”

“All I did was have the courage to imagine a night like this,” he added. “My commitment to you, each and every one of you, is that first I’m going to treat your children like I want my children to be treated.”

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Colom continued, “I’m going to treat your parents the way I want my parents to be treated. I’m going to treat your future the way I want my future to be,” adding that he will “work to make every Mississippian’s life better.”

His victory adds to last week's decisive midterm election blow to Republican President Donald Trump.

“Scott ran the campaign of a lifetime and reimagined what’s possible for Democrats in the South,” Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer of New York posted online.

Trump's party suffered crushing defeats in several Republican-controlled states, indicating Americans' dissatisfaction with the president's performance, particularly regarding the illegal war on Iran.

A new poll shows Americans want the incoming Democratic-controlled US Congress to push for an end to Trump's war of choice against Iran.