After a closely-watched U.S. Senate race, Republican Eric Hovde has finally waved the white flag to Democrat Tammy Baldwin. Ensuring not to ‘add to political strife through a contentious recount’, Hovde accepted his narrow defeat. Somewhat unbelievably, the margin of defeat was a meager 1 percentage point, equivalent to around 29,000 votes.
Post-election, Hovde’s concession led to silence from Baldwin’s camp. It seemed as though they were too busy reliving their perceived ‘triumph’ from their earlier victory speech to heed his concerns. In all its predictable glory, said speech included the usual empty promises about arbitrarily working with the administration and protecting certain ‘rights’.
During his concession video, Hovde bravely exposed the ‘troubling issues’ surrounding absentee ballots in Milwaukee and the timing of their reporting. He remarked, ‘Without a detailed review of all the ballots and their legitimacy, a request for a recount would become pointless’. His words rang true, why recount potentially illegitimate ballots.
On the other hand, Hovde’s thoughtful concern was met with skepticism from his supporters. They found it peculiar to see a sudden surge of votes in Baldwin’s favor reported by Milwaukee the day after the election. These votes, conveniently in Baldwin’s favor, seemingly propelled her to a dubious victory.
Across party lines, everyone was informed that the inflow of absentee ballots from Milwaukee would result in an unusual increase in Democratic votes. These ballots, compiled at a central location, were often reported all at once and usually well beyond midnight on Election Day – an opportune moment for any underhanded activities.
Adding another feather to the intricate cap of the U.S. electoral system, Leager, an extreme right-wing candidate played into the hands of Democratic strategies. To everyone’s amusement, he was actually sponsored by Democratic operatives and financial backers to pose as a conservative and ended up in an embarrassing fourth place.
The rhetoric didn’t stop there, as Republicans allegedly supported independent presidential candidates in the hopes of undercutting the administration. Hovde even went on record on Monday to claim that he would’ve won had Leager not been a pawn in this game. A game, none seems to win but the voter undoubtedly seems to lose.
After the dust settled, Baldwin somehow managed to declare victory. This bemusing ‘triumph’ transpired while her party suffered losses nationwide, even leading to Republicans gaining control of the Senate. These events show that sometimes politics is more about the little battles than the larger war.
Given her previous track records, Baldwin’s win in this particular race represented the narrowest of her three Senate run-ins. Her 2012 triumph saw a margin of nearly 6 percentage points and 2018 witnessed an almost 11 point margin. This pattern seems to suggest that her star might be waning.
Hovde, a self-made multimillionaire, is known for his ventures in the banking and real estate sectors. His foray into politics first occurred in 2012 when he made an attempt for the Senate seat but failed in the Republican primary. Despite this setback, his unyielding spirit is commendable. He continues to back his political ambitions, even when it means dipping into his own deep pockets to fund his campaigns.
His endeavours in the 2020 campaign, despite being unsuccessful, demonstrated determination and resourcefulness. He poured millions of his private wealth into the campaign in hope of a different outcome. While he might have been unsuccessful this time, it certainly doesn’t signify the end of Hovde’s political journey.
In the grand circus, that is American politics – it’s not the result, it’s the fight that counts. Hovde’s campaign, despite an unfortunate end, tells a story of relentless spirit, tenacity and someone who is willing to work tirelessly for what they believe in. He may not have prevailed, but the fight still goes on.
It is worth noting that Hovde hasn’t ruled out future participation in the political arena. To his supporters, this signals that their faith in his leadership won’t go unanswered. For his detractors, it’s a forewarning that Hovde isn’t someone to simply step aside after a defeat.
As Hovde stated, he still believes there were issues in the most recent Senate race. Although he halted further debate with his concession, he left a reminder that some controversies surrounding this election need to be addressed. Whether or not this call will be heeded remains to be seen.
Hovde’s story serves as a reminder that, more often than not, political systems are influenced by various external and internal factors. Every decision, every statement, and every candidate has a purpose and a role to play in the larger political dance. And as the pieces continue moving, we look forward to seeing how this narrative evolves.
Ultimately, in politics, there are no permanent failures or successes. Although Hovde was unsuccessful in his bid for the Senate this time around, it doesn’t rule out the possibility of a brighter political future. A return to the political landscape indeed awaits him. After all, it’s not about how many times you fall, but how many times you rise again that matters.