Wisconsin Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin’s re-election race in the pivotal swing state is proving to be much closer than previously anticipated, according to multiple reports. Baldwin, who faces off against Republican challenger Eric Hovde in November’s highly contested elections, has seen her lead shrink significantly.
While earlier polls had shown Baldwin with a comfortable lead, new polling from the Cook Political Report suggests that the race is far more competitive. The latest Cook poll, released Thursday, shows Baldwin with just a two-point lead over Hovde, with Baldwin securing 49% of voter support compared to Hovde’s 47%.
“In Wisconsin, Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin leads Republican businessman Eric Hovde by only two points,” the Cook Political Report poll reads.
This stands in stark contrast to earlier surveys, which had Baldwin leading Hovde by a much wider margin of 7 points. The narrowing gap has sparked concern among Democrats, with some warning of “alarm bells” about the possibility of Baldwin losing the critical race, as reported by Axios.
If Hovde wins in November, the GOP could regain control of the Senate, shifting the balance of power in Congress. Republicans also have a 35% spending advantage in Wisconsin over Democrats, a factor that could play heavily in Hovde’s favor. Additionally, a Super PAC aligned with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is investing an extra $17 million into Wisconsin, while Hovde himself is contributing $2 million to his campaign, Axios reported.
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“Tammy Baldwin and her allies are panicking because momentum is on our side and they know we can WIN this race,” Hovde said in a statement on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday.
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