(The Center Square) – Incumbent Sen. Tammy Baldwin defeated Republican challenger Eric Hovde in a race declared Wednesday afternoon.
Baldwin held a lead of 28,958 votes with 49.38% of the vote to Hovde’s 48.52%.
“The voters have spoken and our campaign has won,” Baldwin wrote on social media. “Wisconsinites chose someone who always puts them first, shows up, listens, and works with everyone to get the job done. I’m proud to head back to the Senate to keep fighting for our workers, farmers, and families that make our state great.”
Wisconsinites chose someone who always puts them first, shows up, listens, and works with everyone to get the job done. I’m proud to head back to the Senate to keep fighting for our workers, farmers, and families that make our state great.
If the difference remains less than 1%, Hovde will automatically qualify for a re-count.
After the unofficial tallies are done, a canvas must be complete and filed by Nov. 19. Then Hovde would have three days from the time the final canvas is received to ask for a recount.
Republican leaders, including Wisconsin Republican Party Chairman Brian Schimming, pointed toward third-party candidate Thomas Leager, who received 28,717 votes in the U.S. Senate race. Leager was found to have been funded by Democratic firms and donors despite saying that he was recruited to run by the Patriots Run Project.
Schimming called Leager and the America First party a “fake candidate under a fake party name.”
“Democrats have to come in and pose as something they are not,” Schimming said.
Schimming said that he would work with Hovde’s campaign to determine if they will ask for a recount, saying it is a “very very close race.” That decision has not been made yet, Schimming said.
