Republican Eric Hovde is refusing to concede the Wisconsin Senate Election to Democrat Tammy Baldwin, claiming there are "voting inconsistencies" in the tallying. Electoral authorities have rejected the claim.
With 99% of the votes tallied, Baldwin is getting 49.4% of the support, compared to Hovde's 48.5%. The margin represents fewer than 30,000 votes, according to the projection by NBC News.
In a video posted on his X account on Tuesday night, Hovde said he was considering whether to call for a recount even though the difference projected by outlets is larger than the threshold needed to do so without candidates covering the expenses.
Many people have reached out to me with concerns about the voting inconsistencies we experienced on Election Day. Here are my thoughts: pic.twitter.com/zDvaeHaizw
— Eric Hovde (@EricHovde) November 12, 2024
Wisconsin allows a state recount if the margin is lower than 0.25 percentage points, with candidates having to dole out the cash if they difference is larger but want the process to be conducted anyway.
Even though Hovde is a wealthy businessman and could likely cover the expense, he said the recount would not fully address the inconsistencies mentioned. "There are meaningful limits on a recount, because they don't look at the integrity of the ballot."
At the center of his argument are absentee ballots from Milwaukee, most of which went for Baldwin. He claimed the large difference was statistically "improbable" and did not match the in-person voting pattern in the city. Democrats are more likely to vote through absentee ballots than Republicans, and Milwaukee is a traditional Democratic stronghold.
Hovde also said that turnout in certain precincts was higher than the amount of registered voters on file. However, the claim doesn't seem to account for those registering on Election Day, something allowed in the state.
Baldwin has criticized Hovde for not conceding the race, saying he is "spreading lies from the darkest corners of the internet to undercut our free and fair elections." "Wisconsin voters made their voices heard. It's time for Hovde to stop this disgusting attack on our democracy and concede."
Eric Hovde is spreading lies from the darkest corners of the internet to undercut our free and fair elections.
— Tammy Baldwin (@tammybaldwin) November 12, 2024
Wisconsin voters made their voices heard. It's time for Hovde to stop this disgusting attack on our democracy and concede.
The Milwaukee County Election Commission also rejected the claims, saying it "unequivocally refutes Eric Hovde's baseless claims regarding the integrity of our election process."
Hovde did receive the support of fellow Senate candidate Kari Lake, who has not conceded her defeat in the Arizona race either. "Praying for you, Eric Hovde, I've been there," said Lake on X, likely referring to her loss in the 2022 Arizona gubernatorial elections, which she also never conceded.
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