Eric Hovde Concedes Wisconsin Senate Race

Wisconsin Republican Eric Hovde conceded defeat to Democratic incumbent Tammy Baldwin in their closely contested U.S. Senate race, noting he did not want to contribute to political strife through a recount despite raising unfounded claims about election irregularities in Milwaukee. Hovde lost by less than 1 percentage point, with Baldwin receiving approximately 1.67 million votes to Hovde's 1.64 million. In his concession video, he stated that recounting the ballots would be pointless without a review of their integrity, which he suggested would be difficult to obtain through the courts. Hovde criticized third-party candidates for siphoning votes from him, alleging Democratic operatives were behind their campaigns. Baldwin has pledged to work with Trump when possible while also defending national health care and abortion rights. The election results, still being verified by counties, will be certified by December 1.