Hovde’s Right: ‘Troubling Issues’ Dogged Milwaukee On Election Day
Swing state Wisconsin's largest city has a history of election administration messes that have eroded trust in Milwaukee's elections.Swing state Wisconsin's largest city has a history of election administration messes that have eroded trust in Milwaukee's elections.Eric Hovde concedes Wisconsin Senate race, cites 'disheartening' tactics
Republican challenger Eric Hovde conceded the race to Democratic incumbent Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin on Monday.
Hovde lost to the two-term incumbent by less than a percent, the AP called on November 6. Given the slim margins of the race, Hovde did not concede the race until over a week later.
'What is disheartening are the tactics used against me in this race.'
"Nine months ago, I entered the race for the U.S. Senate because I love our country and I am deeply concerned about its direction," Hovde said in a video posted to X.
"The results from election night were disappointing, particularly in light of the last-minute absentee ballots that were dropped in Milwaukee at 4 a.m., flipping the outcome," Hovde said.
"I have heard from numerous supporters urging me to challenge the election results," Hovde said. "However, without a detailed review of all the ballots and their legitimacy, which will be difficult to obtain in the courts, the request for a recount would serve no purpose because you will just be recounting the same ballots regardless of their integrity. As a result, and my desire to not add to the political strife through a contentious recount, I decided to concede the election."
Although Hovde ultimately conceded, he pointed to several tactics Democrats used that he said worked to "deceive" and "mislead" voters. Notably, Democratic operatives emboldened libertarian candidate Phillip Anderson and America First candidate Thomas Leager, who collectively drew in over 70,000 votes.
"I am proud that we received more than 1.64 million votes, more than any Republican in Wisconsin history aside from President Trump's total on Tuesday night," Hovde said. "Furthermore, if not for Democratic operatives placing a phony America First candidate on the ballot to deceive voters and siphon off over 28,000 votes, I would have won this race."
"Democratic operatives also supported a libertarian candidate through mail and other sources without his knowledge to strip votes away from me," Hovde continued. "Are these actions to deceive and mislead voters strengthening and protecting our democracy? Any fair-minded person would say no."
Hovde also described several "disheartening" tactics used against him in the race. Hovde detailed the protests that took place outside his home before he even entered the race, mentioned "phony" lawsuits launched against his companies, and the millions of dollars' worth of ads that made "false claims" about him.
"Senator Baldwin's campaign focused on getting voters to hate me," Hovde said.
"Sadly, our current political system is broken," Hovde continued. "Instead of candidates debating issues and addressing voters concerns, campaigns are now about raising money, often from special interest groups, and launching attack ads with no basis in truth."
Hovde closed his message by thanking his supporters and outlining his plan to move forward.
"After running from morning to night for nine months and leaving it all on the field, I will take a much-needed break, then return to my businesses and foundation and find other ways to make a positive impact," Hovde said. "One thing is certain. I will always fight for the country and state that I love and work to restore the American dream. Thank you."
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Two-term Democratic incumbent fends off Republican challenger in Wisconsin Senate race
Democratic incumbent Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin narrowly won re-election Wednesday against Republican challenger Eric Hovde.
Baldwin secured 49.4% of the vote, while Hovde brought in 48.5%, according to Politico. Although Democrats held on to the contested Wisconsin seat, Republicans have already managed to flip three seats, securing their Senate majority.
Although Baldwin has won her seat by comfortable margins in the past, this race was much narrower.
"The voters have spoken and our campaign has won," Baldwin said in a Wednesday post on X. "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."
Although Baldwin has won her seat by comfortable margins in the past, this race was much narrower. Leading up to the race, Hovde closed in on Baldwin's lead, turning her near eight-point advantage from July into less than a single-point victory on Election Day.
While the votes were being counted, Hovde expressed skepticism about the election's integrity.
"We’re watching the final precinct results come in," Hovde said in a Wednesday post on X. "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. We will continue to monitor returns and make sure that every vote is counted."
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6 Senate seats Republicans can flip to take back the majority
Less than a week from Election Day, six crucial Senate seats remain within striking distance for Republicans.
Republicans are currently in the minority, holding 49 seats, while Democrats and Independents combined hold the remaining 51 seats. While Republicans would have to flip only two seats to win back the majority, there are several pickup opportunities for the GOP.
Despite his previous double-digit wins, Casey's polling advantage has plummeted to just a few points, which is a good sign for his Republican challenger.
The two most likely seats Republicans are looking to secure are in Montana and West Virginia. West Virginia's Senate seat is an open race between Republican Gov. Jim Justice and Democratic candidate Glenn Elliott. The candidates are running to replace Independent Sen. Joe Manchin after he announced his retirement in November 2023.
Cook Political Report has rated the Senate race in West Virginia as "solid Republican," which is reflected in the massive polling advantage Justice boasts over Elliott. In addition to the Mountain State, Republicans are enjoying some rosy poll numbers farther west.
In Montana, Republican candidate Tim Sheehy has pulled Democratic incumbent Sen. Jon Tester, who has previously won his seat by narrow margins. Recent polls put the three-term Democratic Senator at a substantial polling deficit, and Cook Political Report rated the seat "lean Republican."
Although the race is closer than the one in West Virginia, the tide has turned in Sheehy's favor, and Tester is taking notice. Tester's campaign has repeatedly labeled him "bipartisan" and has even held off from endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris, making him the only Democratic Senator to do so. Tester's decision to distance himself from his party is reflective of Sheehy's momentum in the red state.
While winning Montana and West Virginia would be enough for Republicans to flip the Senate, there are four more seats rated "toss-ups" that the GOP could secure.
In Michigan, Republican candidate Mike Rogers and Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin are going head-to-head in the race to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow. Although Slotkin initially had a several point polling advantage, Rogers has narrowed her lead and even surpassed the Democrat in some polls.
Another key race Republicans have managed to tighten is in Ohio, where Democratic incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown is battling GOP candidate Bernie Moreno. Although Brown has won all three of his terms by a substantial margin, Moreno has chipped away and even pulled ahead of the incumbent's increasingly narrow polling advantage.
In Pennsylvania, Democratic incumbent Sen. Bob Casey is facing a similar challenge from Republican candidate Dave McCormick. Casey first won in 2006 by a significant margin and easily held onto his seat for two more terms. Despite his previous double-digit wins, Casey's polling advantage has plummeted to just a few points, which is a good sign for his Republican challenger.
Further east in Wisconsin, Republican candidate Eric Hovde has gained ground against Democratic incumbent Sen. Tammy Baldwin. Like other races along the Rust Belt, Baldwin's initial polling advantage has rapidly diminished as Election Day approaches. Although the race remains tight, Republicans remain optimistic.
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The blue wall is crumbling, and Republicans are chipping away at it
Democratic "blue wall" Senate candidates have turned away from Vice President Kamala Harris in an attempt to regain their footing amid their dwindling polling advantages.
Most recently, Democratic incumbent Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania released an ad campaign Friday distancing himself from his own party and aligning himself with former President Donald Trump. The ad paints Casey as an "independent" who has "bucked" President Joe Biden and "sided with Trump." The ad notably omits his Democratic Party affiliation and his lockstep voting record.
The tonal shift in Casey's campaign comes as his Republican challenger, Dave McCormick, narrows the incumbent Democrat's lead. Casey currently holds just a 1.9-point average lead, a far cry from his 7.7-point advantage in August. With just two weeks until the election, Cook Political Report shifted the race on Monday from "lean Democrat" to "toss up."
“We knew this race was a toss-up when Bob Casey started running ads claiming he was President Trump’s best friend even though he voted to impeach him twice," Philip Letsou, a spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said in a statement Monday. "Bob Casey is desperately trying to throw Kamala Harris under the bus to save his own political career — it won’t work.”
Democratic incumbent Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin has similarly avoided tethering herself to Biden and Harris. During her Friday-night debate against Republican candidate Eric Hovde, Baldwin focused on issue areas while her challenger hammered her as an extension of the Biden-Harris administration.
A recent ad from Baldwin's campaign also focused on her bipartisan policy achievements, saying she "got President Trump to sign her Made in America bill" as well as getting "President Biden to make it permanent." Baldwin's reliably blue voting record, however, disputes her attempts to appeal to key moderate and independent voters she will need to secure her re-election.
“These Senate Democrats all voted to impeach President Trump twice, so it is surprising that they are now running ads praising his work as President," Mike Berg, communications director for the NRSC, told The Hill.
'Disingenuousness aside, these are the type of ads you run if you think your nominee for president is going to lose.'
Baldwin's poll numbers may have been what sounded the alarm, with Hovde trailing the incumbent by just two points compared to his 6.7-point deficit in August. The Wisconsin Senate race also went from "lean Democrat" to "toss up" in early October, according to Cook Political Report.
Democratic candidate Elissa Slotkin, who is wrapping up her third consecutive term in the House, is also competing for the Michigan Senate seat against Republican candidate Mike Rogers. Although she has campaigned alongside Harris, Slotkin has also tried to moderate her positions and appeal to independents.
While Slotkin has turned her attention to her bipartisan accomplishments, her voting record regarding electric vehicle mandates specifically may come back to haunt her. EV mandates, which would require manufacturers to boost production and uphold EV quotas, are particularly unpopular among Michiganders. Despite distancing herself from EV mandates, Slotkin has repeatedly voted to support them.
"Autoworkers are the backbone of Michigan's economy, but now their jobs are at risk because Elissa Slotkin refuses to stand up to Harris-Biden EV mandates that will devastate Michigan's auto industry," Maggie Abboud, spokeswoman for the NRSC, said in a statement. "Michigan autoworkers deserve a senator who will stand up for them."
Like Casey and Baldwin, Slotkin's change in tone comes after concerning poll numbers show the Democrats' advantage is slipping. Slotkin is currently an average of 2.1 points ahead of Rogers, which is less than half of her 5.4-point advantage in September. The Michigan Senate race is also rated as a "toss up," according to Cook Political Report.
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