Republican U.S. Senate candidate Eric Hovde has yet to concede in his race against Democratic incumbent Sen. Tammy Baldwin, despite the Associated Press calling the race for Baldwin on Nov. 6.
Hovde, who lost by about 29,000 votes, received about 54,000 fewer votes than President-elect Donald Trump. Baldwin received about 5,000 more votes than Vice President Kamala Harris.
Along with Arizona Republican Kari Lake, Hovde is one of two Republican U.S. Senate candidates who have yet to concede.
In a video released on social media Nov. 12, Hovde said he was “shocked” by what happened on election night, claiming about 108,000 absentee ballots were counted in Milwaukee at 4 a.m., with Baldwin receiving nearly 90% of the votes. Because Milwaukee counts absentee ballots at a central location, reports are released all at once when counting is complete. Baldwin received about 80% of Milwaukee’s absentee votes, according to a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel fact check.
Wisconsin’s biggest city is historically heavily Democratic, with Baldwin winning 71.5% of the vote against Wisconsin State Sen. Leah Vukmir in Milwaukee County in 2018.
The Milwaukee Election Commission also had to recount about 34,000 ballots on Election Day after the doors of tabulator machines were not locked and sealed. Both parties agreed nothing wrong was done, according to Wisconsin Elections Commission Chair Ann Jacobs.
Hovde also claimed certain precincts in Milwaukee had over 200% voter turnout, a claim the Wisconsin Elections Commission refuted in a Nov. 14 statement.
“What happened in this election does not inspire confidence in our process, and that is wrong,” Hovde said. “Once all options are reviewed, I will announce my decision on how I will proceed.”
In Wisconsin, candidates can only ask for a recount if they trail by one percentage point or less. In the official tally, Hovde currently trails Baldwin by 0.9%. Wisconsin precincts have until Nov. 19 to certify their results.
“Eric Hovde is spreading lies from the darkest corners of the internet to undercut our free and fair elections,” Baldwin said in a Nov. 12 tweet. “Wisconsin voters made their voices heard. It's time for Hovde to stop this disgusting attack on our democracy and concede.”
Tomer Ronen is the Features Editor for the Daily Cardinal. He has covered protests, state politics, sports and more. Follow him on Twitter at @TRonen22.
