Tammy Baldwin will serve her third term in the Second District U.S. Congressional seat along with all of Wisconsin’s seven Congressional members.
Republican Paul Ryan of Janesville, Democrat Ron Kind of LaCrosse, Democrat Jerry Kleckza of Milwaukee, Republican F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. of Menomonee Falls, Democrat David Obey of Wausau and Mark Green in northeastern Wisconsin all remain seated in Wisconsin’s U.S. Congressional seats after Tuesday’s election.
Baldwin was the first woman to serve Wisconsin in Congress and will serve her third term in the Congressional seat after defeating Republican Ron Greer in a landslide victory. The race was called shortly before 10 p.m. Tuesday.
Baldwin received 66.2 percent of the votes in the election, and Greer received 33.8 percent.
Baldwin’s field director Scott Spector said the win came as no surprise.
“I think we are pleasantly surprised, but we knew Tammy would do well,” Spector said.
Spector said Baldwin appealed to students because of her fight for financial aid. Spector also said students had an impact on the race, through both voting and helping with the Baldwin campaign.
“Students were our best voice,” Spector said.
Spector said he believes the race avoided dirty campaigning, which helped Baldwin win the her seat.
“We ran a clean race. We stuck to the issues, and the people responded,” Spector said.
Mark Shields, volunteer coordinator with the campaign, said he supported Baldwin because of her stances on issues, including her opposition to the war on Iraq, her favoring of national health insurance, her work to protect Wisconsin resources and her support of financial aid to UW students.
“I think Tammy is committed to her own scheme. She votes her heart, not a party land,” Shields said. “I’m glad to have her representing Wisconsin.”
Baldwin was also pleased with her clean race.
“It does say, by and large, that the issues that I champion in Washington are among the chief concerns of my constituents,” Baldwin said in the Capital Times. “We had a positive, clean and energetic campaign.”
Shortly before 10 p.m. Tuesday, Greer called Baldwin and conceded the race, Dan Breed of the Greer campaign said.
Breed cited insufficient funds as one reason Greer may have lost.
“It was a hard-fought race, considering Baldwin outspent us 10 to 1,” Breed said.
Anthony Carver, head of students for Greer, agreed. In addition, Greer’s district is considered liberal, Carver said.
“I guess I anticipated defeat,” Carver said. “We were fighting an uphill battle.”
Breed said Greer’s future plans include a “well-needed vacation” and a cruise with his wife. He will also go back to work with Chuck Colson’s Prison Fellowship Ministry.
“That is part of Ron’s heart,” Breed said.