In the close Wisconsin Senate race, Republican Eric Hovde has refused to concede to incumbent Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin, raising concerns about “voting inconsistencies” despite no evidence of election fraud.
Baldwin currently leads by a narrow margin of less than 30,000 votes, with Hovde trailing at 48.5% to Baldwin’s 49.4%, with 99% of the vote counted.
In a video on X (formerly Twitter), Hovde said he is considering a recount, citing the large number of absentee ballots from Milwaukee favoring Baldwin as improbable.
Milwaukee, a Democratic stronghold, typically reports a higher proportion of absentee votes, which election officials are only allowed to process starting on Election Day.
Hovde also raised concerns about turnout levels, but Milwaukee County Election Commission emphasized that the election was conducted transparently and in strict compliance with state laws, noting that Election Day registration could account for Hovde’s turnout concerns.
Baldwin responded, accusing Hovde of undermining trust in Wisconsin’s electoral process, stating, “It’s time for Hovde to stop this disgusting attack on our democracy and concede.”