Democratic Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin will seek a third term in the upper chamber, she announced Wednesday.
“Wisconsin’s working families deserve a Senator who’s going to fight for them—not shady special interests or big corporations. We’ve made a lot of progress, but the stakes have never been higher and our work isn’t over yet,” she tweeted.
It’s official: I’m running for reelection!
Wisconsin’s working families deserve a Senator who’s going to fight for them—not shady special interests or big corporations. We’ve made a lot of progress, but the stakes have never been higher and our work isn’t over yet.
— Tammy Baldwin (@tammybaldwin) April 12, 2023
First elected in 2012, Baldwin has consistently outrun the top of her state’s Democratic ticket. She received 55% during her 2018 reelection bid, while Democratic gubernatorial nominee Tony Evers garnered 49.5%. She served in the House of Representatives from 1999-2011, never receiving less than 60% after 2000.
Republicans have expressed concern about their ability to knock off Baldwin, given her over-performance and the GOP’s recent struggles in the state. Joe Biden won Wisconsin by 20,000 votes in 2020, Evers won by 90,000 votes in 2022, and liberal Supreme Court nominee Janet Protasiewicz defeated her conservative opponent by eleven points on April 4. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Ron Johnson To Unveil Endorsement From Former Ambassador Nikki Haley)
GOP Rep. Mike Gallagher is reportedly considering a run, and National Republican Senatorial Committee chairman Steve Daines of Montana has described him as a top-tier candidate.
“Mike Gallagher would be a great candidate,” Daines told Politico. “He’s the kind of candidate that with his distinguished service and then time in Congress, could win both the primary and general election.”