MADISON, Wis. — Eric Hovde, the Republican candidate, has not conceded his loss to the Democratic incumbent, Tammy Baldwin, in the race for the U.S. Senate. He expressed significant concerns regarding the election results, indicating that pursuing a recount is a “serious” matter and that he is still in the process of evaluating his options.
Hovde is eligible to request a recount due to his narrow defeat, which fell under 1 percentage point or approximately 29,000 votes. However, he has not publicly committed to that request yet, stating in a message to his supporters that he needs to scrutinize all relevant information and potential avenues.
“This is a challenging choice because I want to honor your support while also seeking closure for our state’s election,” stated Hovde in a video shared on social media.
He brought to attention what he described as irregularities in the voting process, yet there has been no substantiated evidence of any misconduct related to the election, which remains under review by counties. These counties are expected to present their finalized vote totals to the state by November 19, in preparation for official certification by December 1.
Criticism of Hovde’s stance came swiftly from both Democratic members and some Republicans, who accused him of perpetuating false narratives regarding electoral integrity. A notable comment came from Jim Villa, a long-time Republican former state official, who urged Hovde to cease undermining public trust in the electoral process. “That grift needs to stop!” Villa stated in a post.
Andrew Mamo, a spokesperson for Baldwin’s campaign, condemned Hovde for undermining democracy and insisted that both Republican and Democratic leaders should denounce the misleading claims made by Hovde. “Tammy Baldwin has won this race, and Eric Hovde should take the only course left: concede,” Mamo remarked.
In a response on social media, John D. Johnson, a researcher at Marquette University, termed Hovde’s assertions as a “reckless disregard for the actual facts.” The Associated Press declared the race in favor of Baldwin on November 6, with her formal declaration of victory coming shortly afterward.
Despite the absence of evidence indicating electoral malpractice, many of Hovde’s supporters have voiced concerns about a late surge of votes for Baldwin reported in Milwaukee around 4:30 a.m. after Election Day, which ultimately contributed to Baldwin’s lead. These particular votes, consisting of absentee ballots, are compiled centrally and typically reported in one batch, often occurring post-midnight. Election officials have consistently indicated that the timing of these ballot counts is a result of the substantial volume of voting that needs to be processed, as state law prohibits any pre-poll processing.
Leading up to the election, both Democrats and Republicans had cautioned that these absentee ballots would be reported later in the evening, leading to increased Democratic vote counts. This influx of absentee votes previously sparked unfounded conspiracy theories during the 2020 presidential election regarding alleged vote suppression against then-President Donald Trump.
In this election cycle, while Milwaukee’s Democratic absentee votes didn’t affect the vice presidential race, they proved pivotal for Baldwin. Hovde previously asserted that it looked as though he had won before the ballots from Milwaukee were counted, mentioning in the following days that numerous individuals contacted him regarding potential discrepancies.
On election night, Republican strategists had alerted followers on social media that Hovde was likely to trail Baldwin once the absentee ballots from Milwaukee and other Democratic areas were fully accounted for, a prediction that indeed materialized. To initiate a recount, Hovde will need to bear the costs himself, as the Wisconsin Republican Party has not been requested to cover any expenses linked to a recount, according to party executive director Andrew Iverson.
For Hovde to formally request a recount, he must do so within three days following the completion of the last county’s vote canvass. While counties are required to submit their canvass by November 19, many could potentially finish earlier.
Hovde, a wealthy bank owner and real estate developer, previously ran for the Senate in 2012 but lost in the Republican primary. This year, he garnered support from Trump and invested millions of his own funds into his campaign.