Democrat Tammy Baldwin has won the Wisconsin Senate election, securing a third term and completing a race against Republican banker and real estate mogul Eric Hovde that turned bitter and personal at times.

Baldwin's victory follows a race that grew increasingly bitter over time as Hovde and his Republican allies spread anti-LGBTQ+ messages in the final weeks of the campaign.

Several ads from the Senate Leadership Fund, a Super Pac focused on electing Republicans to the U.S. Senate, sought to connect Baldwin — the first openly gay member of the U.S. Senate — to LGBTQ+ causes. One of the ads falsely claimed that Baldwin had funneled taxpayer money to a transgender clinic; another misleadingly suggested that Baldwin had vowed to support “underage sex reassignment surgery.”

Hovde himself repeated these claims on conservative talk shows in the weeks before the election.

On The Sean Hannity Show, Hovde condemned Baldwin's support for the Equality Act, a bill that would expand civil rights protections for LGBTQ+ people. Hovde referred to trans women as “men” and claimed he was “protecting our traditional families.”

Democrats and LGBTQ+ rights organizations also pointed to ads aired by the Hovde campaign that focus on Baldwin's girlfriend – a financial advisor – as dog whistles intended to remind conservative voters of Baldwin's sexuality. One such ad, which was widely aired, suggested that Baldwin was “in league with Wall Street.” The Hovde campaign has claimed that these ads were only intended to highlight a possible conflict of interest.

In a statement, Baldwin said: “It is clear that the voters have spoken and our campaign has won. The people of Wisconsin have chosen someone who will always put Wisconsin first, someone who will show up, listen and work with everyone to get the job done.”

During the race, the Baldwin campaign fought tirelessly to portray Hovde as an outsider, citing his hometown and business interests in Orange County, California. Hovde grew up in the Madison area but also maintained out-of-state properties and was even recognized by a local publication as one of Orange County's “most influential” districts.

Hovde has rejected that characterization, insisting that his business experience would help him in Washington and accusing Baldwin of straying from her Wisconsin roots.

While in office, Baldwin has supported progressive health care legislation and populist economic policies, such as a bill she co-authored with Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance that would force American-invented products to be manufactured in the United States. She touted both on the campaign trail, particularly highlighting the provision in the Affordable Care Act that allows people under 26 to continue receiving their parents' health insurance, which she is credited with authoring.

The race was seen in part as a test of Baldwin's support in rural parts of the state, where she was able to maintain a base of support despite the general tilt toward rural Republican candidates.

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