Live election results: Baldwin defeats Hovde in Wisconsin's US Senate race

MILWAUKEE - Incumbent U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) defeated Republican challenger Eric Hovde in the Wisconsin race for U.S. Senate. The Associated Press called the race on Wednesday afternoon.

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Four of the past six presidential elections were decided in Wisconsin by less than a percentage point. Its races for U.S. Senate have not been quite as tight – Baldwin won by nearly 6 points in her first race in 2012 and by almost 11 points in 2018. But in 2022, Republican incumbent U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson won a third term in 2022 by only a point.

The last time two Republicans represented Wisconsin in the U.S. Senate was 1957. U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, a Republican, holds the state's other seat. Democratic momentum has resulted in their candidates winning 14 of the past 17 statewide elections headed into Election Day.

The Baldwin-Hovde race was critical for Democrats who were defending 23 seats in the Senate entering Nov. 5, including three held by independents who caucus with Democrats clinging to a 51-49 majority. That’s compared with just 11 seats that Republicans hoped to keep in their column.

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Who is Tammy Baldwin?

Baldwin was born in Madison and graduated from Madison West High School. She went to Smith College and double-majored in government and mathematics. After graduation, she worked in the Wisconsin governor's office. She then went on to study at the University of Wisconsin Law School.

While in law school, Baldwin was elected to the Dane County Board of Supervisors for the first of four terms, later filled a vacancy on the Madison Common Council and was elected to serve the Wisconsin Assembly's 78th District. She graduated from law school in 1989.

Baldwin ran and was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1998, where she served the state's 2nd District – a seat since held by Democrat Mark Pocan. She became the state's first female member of Congress and the first openly-gay, non-incumbent elected to Congress. 

In 2012, Baldwin's successful bid for U.S. Senate made her Wisconsin's first female senator and the first openly LGBTQ+ U.S. Senator in history. She defeated Republican challengers Tommy Thompson (2012) and Leah Vukmir (2018). She is currently serving her second term.

Who is Eric Hovde?

Hovde was born in Madison and went to East High School before attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

A noted entrepreneur, Hovde founded and managed his first of several businesses in his twenties. Specifically, his campaign website notes, he bought and turned around "troubled" community banks. 

Hovde started The Hovde Foundation with his brother, Steve, in his thirties. The foundation has built 10 "Hovde Homes" for vulnerable children and families and also supports local food banks, literacy initiatives and more.

In 2012, Hovde ran for the U.S. Senate seat previously held by Wisconsin Democrat Herb Kohl. He lost the Republican primary to Tommy Thompson, who then lost to Baldwin in the general election.

Baldwin, Hovde on key issues

Abortion

Baldwin: The Senator has introduced and supported legislation to "protect women’s right to an abortion nationwide, protect women’s right to travel across state lines to get reproductive health care, and safeguard access to contraception," her campaign website states. 

Hovde: The entrepreneur's campaign website does not explicitly state a stance on abortion policy or access. However, he has softened his position on abortion since his first Senate run in 2012; he now says he would not vote for a federal ban and that the issue should be left to the states.

Economy

Baldwin: Her campaign highlights Wisconsin manufacturing, support for "farmers and rural economies" and "taking on" special interests as key economic policies. She supports two years of tuition-free community and technical college to "close the skills gap" in the workforce, and public-private partnerships to train workers and alleviate student debt. Her campaign's website does not state any explicit actions that would specifically address the national debt or inflation. 

Hovde: His campaign expresses concern about government debt's potential danger to the country's long-term economic stability and prospects. He also provides two paths out of the situation – "defaulting or inflating away the debt" – and goes on to say defaulting would have "catastrophic consequences," while inflating would ultimately lead to "economic stagflation," where the economy is not growing and prices increase. His campaign does not state what legislation or positions Hovde would support to alleviate the debt and/or address inflation. 

Foreign policy

Baldwin: She is critical of having started the Iraq War and cited service members lives' lost, taxpayer costs and regional destabilization. She also is "dedicated" to holding the Chinese Communist Party accountable for efforts to "undermine" American business and freedom. She voted to pass the CHIPS and Science Act intended to encourage companies to make computer chips in the U.S. instead of overseas. Her campaign website does not mention specific stances on the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. 

Hovde: He voices criticism of the country's withdrawal from Afghanistan – which he said "emboldened" adversaries to become more aggressive in Ukraine and Israel – as well as concerns about China's aggression toward Taiwan. His campaign website stance states: "We must lead through deterrence, prioritizing our national security and the security of our allies by sending a clear message of strength to the world, to put an end to these wars and stop future ones from occurring." His campaign website does not note any specific policy goals.

Health care

Baldwin: The Democrat's campaign circles "skyrocketing prescription drug prices" as a key issue. It touts her support for the Affordable Care Act's protections for people with pre-existing conditions, and the Inflation Reduction Act's capping of out-of-pocket prescription drug prices. It states Baldwin supports legislation that would expand Medicare and BadgerCare access, force pharmaceutical industry regulators to recuse themselves in conflict-of-interest situations, tighten lobbying rules, and make CEOs "explain exactly why" they are increasing prices.

Hovde: The Republican's campaign claims the Affordable Care Act has led to decreased quality of care, fewer choices, limited coverage and increased insurance premiums. His campaign does not offer a specific plan to correct those issues, but notes: "I understand how the failures of our healthcare system affect my fellow Wisconsinites every day. I have lived it. It’s time to reform our healthcare so that it works for all Americans."

Immigration

Baldwin: She states the country's immigration system is "broken." Her campaign highlights a focus on addressing root causes of migration from Central America and "smart investments" to secure the border, but does not specifically state what that would entail. Additionally, she backed a bill to give Customs and Border Protection "the tools they need to detect and stop the flow of fentanyl from China and Mexico."

Hovde: He has a "humanitarian crisis" and the "unabated flow of drugs" at the U.S. border with Mexico listed as a top issue on his campaign website. It cites concerns about the "mass influx" of migrants straining health care and school systems, among other things. His campaign states laws need to be enforced and borders strengthened, but does not specify what actions would strengthen the border. 

You can find complete statements on these issues and others on the Baldwin and Hovde campaign websites.