Republican Eric Hovde refused to concede defeat in Wisconsin’s Senate race on Tuesday, casting doubt on the results despite a lack of evidence of any wrongdoing in last week’s election.
In a 4½-minute video on She leads by fewer than 30,000 votes, 49.4% to 48.5%, with 99% of the votes counted.
Wisconsin allows candidates to request recounts, but they are required to cover the costs if the margin of victory is greater than 0.25 percentage points.
But Hovde also suggested a recount would not fully address the “voting inconsistencies” he said were taking place.
“While I have deep concerns, requesting a recount is a serious decision that requires careful consideration,” he said. “Furthermore, there are meaningful limits to a recount because the integrity of the ballot is not considered.”
Hovde pointed to the absentee ballots Milwaukee reported early Wednesday, which fell heavily for Baldwin, as an “unlikely” outcome, arguing that the count did not reflect the city’s in-person voting pattern.
Traditionally, Democrats vote absentee more often than Republicans, and Milwaukee is one of the main Democratic bastions in Wisconsin. Additionally, election workers are not allowed to begin processing absentee ballots until Election Day, which often results in those votes being reported later.
Hovde also claimed that election turnout in certain Milwaukee precincts exceeded the number of registered voters on file. That doesn’t apply to voters who registered on Election Day, which is allowed in Wisconsin.
In a statement, the Milwaukee County Election Commission said it “unequivocally refutes Eric Hovde’s unsubstantiated claims about the integrity of our election process.”
“Every aspect of the MEC’s operations was conducted with transparency and strict adherence to established laws and procedures,” the statement said.
Shortly after Hovde posted his video, Baldwin criticized him on X.
“Eric Hovde is spreading lies from the darkest corners of the internet to undermine our free and fair elections,” she said. “Wisconsin voters made their voices heard. It is time for Hovde to stop this disgusting attack on our democracy and own up.”
When asked by NBC News the day before Election Day whether he would accept the results of his race, Hovde replied: “Of course.”
President-elect Donald Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in Wisconsin.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
