MADISON, Wis. — The closely watched U.S. Senate contest in Wisconsin between incumbent Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin and her Republican challenger Eric Hovde, who received support from President-elect Donald Trump, unfolded in a way that may lead to a recount request based on early Wednesday results.
Baldwin, seeking a third term, confidently announced her victory shortly after absentee ballots were counted around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday. As per the preliminary results, Baldwin held a narrow lead of 0.9%, putting her just within the 1% threshold that would allow Hovde to initiate a recount, should he choose to fund it. The race remains uncalled by major news outlets. Hovde’s campaign did not provide immediate comments regarding the unfolding situation.
In a statement, Baldwin expressed gratitude to the voters, stating, “The people of Wisconsin have opted for someone who prioritizes Wisconsin, someone who engages with the community and collaborates to achieve results.” She added: “They rejected the influence of billionaires and special interests intent on bringing division and hate to our state while trying to buy their way to influence.”
Hovde, in addressing his supporters on Tuesday evening, pointed to the impact of a third-party candidate, Thomas Leager, who was perceived by some as a plant from Democratic circles. Leager, despite securing only a fraction of the vote, tallied more votes than the margin separating Baldwin and Hovde. Hovde remarked, “It’s unfortunate that if the Democrats hadn’t interfered, this could have been concluded earlier.”
Baldwin’s lead came after she outperformed Vice President Kamala Harris, who narrowly lost Wisconsin to Trump in the previous election cycle by under a percentage point. This trend continues a notable pattern in Wisconsin, where five of the past seven presidential elections have been decided by margins of less than a point.
Should Baldwin win, it would occur against a backdrop of Republicans gaining control of the Senate by winning Democratic-held seats in states like Ohio and West Virginia. Democrats are hoping for Baldwin’s victory to ensure their hold on both Senate seats in Wisconsin.
While Baldwin is known for her liberal voting record, she emphasized a spirit of bipartisanship throughout her campaign. Notably, she became the first Democratic candidate in over two decades to earn the endorsement of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau, the leading agricultural organization in the state.
Hovde attempted to frame Baldwin as a disconnected liberal who has failed to adequately address significant issues such as inflation, crime, and immigration. Baldwin’s initial Senate victory came in 2012 against the well-known former Republican Governor Tommy Thompson, where she won by nearly 6 percentage points. Interestingly, Hovde was a participant in that primary race but lost to Thompson. Baldwin further solidified her position in 2018, winning reelection by an impressive margin of nearly 11 points.