Wisconsin Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin pledges to work with Donald Trump, yet protect healthcare law, abortion rights

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin pledged during her reelection victory speech Thursday to work with President-elect Donald Trump when possible, but she also vowed to fight him to protect the national health care law and abortion rights.

Baldwin narrowly won reelection to a third term over Republican businessman Eric Hovde, who was endorsed by Trump. Hovde has yet to concede in a race where the margin is so close he could seek a recount.

“We deserve a politics with less vitriol, less division, less hatred and fewer lies. Actually, no lies,” Baldwin said to a room of supporters at a steamfitters union training center.

Baldwin defeated Hovde by just under 29,000 votes, a margin of 0.9%, based on unofficial results. State law allows for the race losers within 1 percentage point of the winner to seek a recount, but Hovde has not yet said whether he will do that.

Hovde’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.

Hovde, a multi-millionaire, would have to pay for the recount and he would have to request it within three days after the last county completes its canvass of the vote. Those are due by Nov. 19, but counties could complete it sooner.

Baldwin’s win was a bright spot for Democrats nationally in an otherwise grim election that saw Trump win Wisconsin on his way back to the White House. Baldwin outperformed Vice President Kamala Harris in Wisconsin, winning by just under 1 point, which was around Trump’s margin of victory over Harris in the state.

“I recognize that the people of Wisconsin chose Donald Trump and I respect their choice,” Baldwin said. “You know that I will always fight for Wisconsin, and that means working with President Trump to do that and standing up to him when he doesn’t have our best interests at heart.”

Baldwin, in a nod to Wisconsin’s deeply divided politics, ran an ad during the campaign referencing her buy-American bill that Trump signed into law.

Baldwin, who has never lost an election, credited her third Senate win to her relentless travel across the state and reaching out to voters of all types. This year, she won an endorsement from the conservative Wisconsin Farm Bureau, which marked the first time the group had backed a Democrat in a statewide race in more than 20 years.

“We did everything, everywhere, all at once,” Baldwin said when explaining her win. “I traveled to red, blue, purple, rural, suburban, urban parts of our state. I listened to people. I really listened to people and I deliver for them. And, in turn, Wisconsinites showed up for me. And I am so grateful.”

Baldwin left her brief event without taking questions.

The Baldwin win came in the face of Democratic losses nationwide that allowed Republicans to seize control of the Senate.