Senator Tammy Baldwin (Left) and Challenge Eric Hovde (Right) PC: Fox 11 Online
(WTAQ-WLUK) — Tammy Baldwin officially has a challenger for her U.S. Senate seat. On Tuesday, Republican businessman and real estate mogul Eric Hovde officially announced his candidacy.
It’s already shaping up to be an expensive race that could focus on a number of issues.
“It was something the national Senate GOP had been looking for,” Lawrence University professor of government Arnold Shober said. “They had been recruiting him heavily especially after Mike Gallagher passed on the run earlier this year.”
So what does this mean for voters? And what can they expect to see between now and election day?
“Hovde, I think, is a much stronger candidate than the GOP candidate last time around and so I would expect to see a much tighter race this time,” Shober said. “Both candidates have to put their best foot forward and tell voters, ‘Well, here’s what I am.””
Shober believes the issues central to the race will be those often debated on the national level.
“We’ll hear ad nauseam about abortion from Tammy Baldwin and immigration from Eric Hovde,” Shober said. “I guarantee it.”
We’ve already heard those criticisms, and others.
“I will hold you accountable for your track record and your performance over 25 years in the U.S. Senate and Congress, and where our country has failed over that time, and for all your votes that has left this country riddled in debt,” Hovde said, addressing Baldwin during his campaign announcement.
That also includes Baldwin’s campaign team. On Friday, Tammy Baldwin For Senate Campaign Spokesman Andrew Mamo said:
Mitch McConnell can try to bring a mega millionaire California bank owner to Wisconsin to buy this Senate seat, but voters in this state know who will really fight for them.
While other Republicans have considered entering the race, Shober believes it’s ultimately likely going to be Baldwin versus Hovde — a matchup he says could have major implications.
“Likely tens of millions of dollars from out of the state that will come in because the U.S. Senate is really closely contested this year,” Shober said. “There’s a number of races where Republicans could pick and could win the majority — or not. So, we’re looking at easily a $100 million race, possibly much more than that.”
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