Wisconsin's Senate Race just got more fired up
- Alexangel Ventura
- Aug 14, 2024
- 2 min read
Wisconsin's 2024 Senate Race is boiling up to becoming one of the most competitive, expensive elections in this upcoming election cycle.
On Wednesday evening, voters from the key swing state of Wisconsin had the chance to vote in each party's primary for their senate candidates, leading to two decisive winners: incumbent Democrat senator Tammy Baldwin and Republican challenger Eric Hovde.
Tammy Baldwin has ran a campaign so far of maintaining the senate seat for Democrats, hoping for a third term in Congress. Having been elected in 2012, Baldwin is relatively popular among Wisconsinites, having a net approval of +1% according to 538's polling average from 2022. She won her primary uncontested by any member of her own party.
Meanwhile, Hovde has run a campaign of connecting his policies with Donald Trump's MAGA campaign, who is running for president in the state on the same ballot. Hovde received Trump's endorsement, along with the endorsements of a few other Republicans such as former governor of the state Scott Walker and most of the state's Republican representatives.
Tammy Baldwin raised a total of $27 million for her campaign, while Hovde only raised $16.7 million.
Polls in the state are indicating a close race between the two candidates, with RCP's polling average having it at a lead of 6% for Tammy Baldwin. However, polls have gotten closer as of recent, with Hovde within single digits of the formidable Democrat senator.
Why is this senate race important. It takes place in the key swing state of Wisconsin, which tends to vote for both Democrats and Republicans. It has a Republican senator, Ron Johnson, and voted for Donald Trump in 2016, while also voting for the Democrat governor Tony Evers in 2022 and Joe Biden in 2020. If Hovde were to make this race close or even win the election, it could have a down-ballot effect on Trump's chance of winning the state, or vice-versa. It is also a key flip which Republicans must get to have a sizeable majority in the senate following this year's elections.
