MADISON, Wisconsin — Incumbent Democrat Tammy Baldwin has been declared the winner of Wisconsin's hotly-contested race for U.S. Senate.
The Associated Press (AP) made the determination shortly before 12:45 p.m. Wednesday. Sen. Baldwin and Republican Eric Hovde - who was backed by President-elect Donald Trump - appeared to be close enough early Wednesday for a recount to be requested.
Baldwin, a two-term incumbent, didn't wait for the AP, declaring victory early Wednesday over Hovde, a multimillionaire businessman who poured millions of his own money into the campaign. The incumbent claimed the win after the tally of absentee ballots from Milwaukee was reported around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday. Baldwin had a lead of 0.9% based on the unofficial results, just within the 1% margin that would allow for Hovde to request a recount if he pays for it.
She released a statement Wednesday afternoon after AP declared her the victor.
“The voters have spoken and our campaign has won,” said Sen. Baldwin in a released statement. “The people of Wisconsin have chosen someone who always puts Wisconsin first, someone who shows up, listens, and works with everyone to get the job done. And they rejected the billionaires and the special interests who want to come to our state, spread hate and division, and buy their way into power.
On Tuesday night, Hovde blamed the tight race on America First candidate Thomas Leager, a far-right candidate who was propped up by Democratic operatives and donors to run as a conservative.
"We’re watching the final precinct results come in. We’re certainly disappointed that the Democrats’ effort to siphon votes with a fraudulent candidate had a significant impact on the race, with those votes making up more than the entire margin of the race right now," said Hovde in a statement released Wednesday morning. "We will continue to monitor returns and make sure that every vote is counted."
Leager ran a distant fourth, but got more votes than the margin between Baldwin and Hovde.
Baldwin ran ahead of Vice President Kamala Harris, who lost Wisconsin to Republican Donald Trump by less than a percentage point. That marks the fifth time in the past seven presidential elections that a presidential election in Wisconsin has been decided by less than a point.
A Baldwin win would come despite Republicans seizing control of the U.S. Senate by flipping Democratic-held seats in Ohio and West Virginia.
Democrats were hoping for a Baldwin win to prevent Republicans from holding both of Wisconsin's Senate seats.
Although Baldwin’s voting record is liberal, she emphasized bipartisanship throughout her campaign. She became the first statewide Democratic candidate in more than 20 years to win an endorsement from the Wisconsin Farm Bureau, the state’s largest farm organization.
Hovde tried to portray Baldwin as an out-of-touch liberal career politician who hadn't done enough to combat inflation, illegal immigration and crime.
Baldwin won her first Senate race in 2012, against popular former Republican Gov. Tommy Thompson, by almost 6 percentage points. Hovde lost to Thompson in that year’s primary. Baldwin won reelection in 2018 by nearly 11 points. The veteran lawmaker says she is ready to roll up her sleeves and resume working for the people of Wisconsin.
"I am proud to head back to the Senate as we embrace our state motto, Forward, and keep fighting for the workers, farmers, and families that make our state great," Baldwin said. "From the bottom of my heart, it is an honor to serve the people of Wisconsin.”