Republican Eric Hovde refused to concede defeat in the Wisconsin Senate race on Tuesday, casting doubt on the election results despite no evidence of wrongdoing. In a 4½-minute video on X, Hovde said he was considering requesting a recount, as he trailed Sen. Tammy Baldwin by less than 30,000 votes, with Baldwin leading 49.4% to 48.5%, based on 99% of the vote count. While Wisconsin law allows candidates to request a recount, they must cover the costs if the margin is larger than 0.25 percentage points.
Hovde raised concerns about “voting inconsistencies,” particularly the absentee ballots in Milwaukee, which heavily favored Baldwin. He argued that the count didn’t match the city’s in-person voting patterns, calling the outcome “improbable.” However, absentee ballots are typically processed later because election workers cannot begin counting them until Election Day. Hovde also questioned high voter turnout in certain Milwaukee precincts, suggesting it exceeded the number of registered voters. This, however, ignores voters who registered on Election Day, which is legal in Wisconsin.
The Milwaukee County Election Commission refuted Hovde’s claims, stating that all operations were transparent and in strict adherence to the law. In response, Baldwin condemned Hovde for spreading false information and undermining the integrity of the election. She called for him to concede, stating that Wisconsin voters had made their voices heard. Earlier, Hovde had expressed confidence that he would accept the election results.
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