Republican businessman Eric Hovde finally conceded defeat Monday in his close race for a Senate seat in Wisconsin, allowing a third-party candidate fielded by Democrats to siphon off votes that would have ensured victory. he claimed.
Hovde, a billionaire bank owner and real estate developer, posted a concession video on social media 12 days after the race was called in support of Democratic incumbent Tammy Baldwin.
Mr. Hovde could have requested a recount, at his own expense, because he received about 29,000 votes and his margin of defeat was less than 1 percentage point. “We did not want to increase political conflict.” . ”
The Republican candidate reiterated his claims in his first video last week, saying there were “many troubling issues” related to absentee voting in Milwaukee and when it was reported. Republican, Democratic and independent election leaders all refuted Hovde's claims of fraud.
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Republican Eric Hovde on Monday conceded his loss to Democratic incumbent Tammy Baldwin in the Wisconsin Senate race. (Scott Olson/Getty Images, File)
“Without a detailed review of every ballot and its legitimacy, which is difficult to obtain in court, a request for a recount is of no use because the integrity of the ballot They just re-count the same ballots regardless,” Hovde said. he said in the video.
Baldwin defeated Hovde by less than 1 percentage point with about 29,000 votes. (Reuters, File)
Schumer is now pledging to fully advance the Railroad Democrats' agenda and insisting on bipartisan support.
Hovde also reiterated his dissatisfaction with the candidacy of Thomas Rieger, who ran as a member of America First.
Mr. Rieger, a far-right candidate who ran as a conservative and was backed by Democratic donors, finished fourth, receiving about 400 fewer votes than the difference between Mr. Baldwin and Mr. Hovde. Hovde claimed that Democratic Party operatives were behind Rieger's candidacy.
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Mr. Hovde, who spent millions of his own money on a losing campaign this year, has not ruled out pursuing another political career in the future. Some Republicans have floated him as a potential candidate for governor in 2026.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
