(WFRV) – Democratic incumbent Tammy Baldwin has won the race for one of Wisconsin’s U.S. Senate seats, successfully defending her spot against Republican challenger Eric Hovde.
The 62-year-old Baldwin was declared the victor by the Associated Press at 12:42 p.m. by a margin of just 0.9%, winning 49.4% of the vote compared to Hovde’s 48.5%. A recount could still occur, however none has been called for as of the Associated Press’ call for Baldwin.
Baldwin’s win secured her a third term in the Senate, extending the streak of Democratic victories in her seat. A Republican has not won it since Joseph McCarthy in 1952.
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Baldwin’s prior victories in this race were by six points in 2012 and 11 points in 2018. Vice President Kamala Harris and the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation endorsed Baldwin.
The Madison native served in the Wisconsin Assembly from 1993 to 1999. She then served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1999 to 2013, becoming the first openly lesbian woman to ever be elected to the U.S. Congress and the first woman elected to the position from Wisconsin.
Senator Baldwin will deliver a victory speech at 10 a.m. in Madison on Thursday. Baldwin’s third term will officially begin on Friday, January 3, when the rest of the Senator-elects throughout the country are sworn in at noon.
