[media-credit name=’PATRICK STATZ-BOYER/Herald photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]In a decisive victory Tuesday, incumbent U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., defeated her Republican challenger Dave Magnum, earning her fifth term in Congress.
Addressing supporters at a victory rally at Monona Terrace in Madison, Baldwin said the election results reflected Wisconsin citizens' need for repair of the "corruption, lies and deceit" of the current Republican administration.
"We seek to bring an end to policies that favor just the privileged few, and the beginning of policies that serve the many," Baldwin said.
As of press time, the results of the election matched the 63 to 37 percent split of the 2004 race, in which she also faced Magnum for the 2nd Congressional District seat.
Baldwin noted the great commitment of time and energy required to run for public office.
"I want to acknowledge that Dave Magnum also made that sacrifice in his effort to participate in public service," she added.
Magnum, though, said he was "at peace" with Tuesday's results, but he didn't rule out another attempt at making it to Washington.
"We want to be good sports," Magnum said. "Everyone needs to take down those yard signs, but tuck them into your garage — don't throw them away."
Acknowledging he knew defeating Baldwin in the overwhelmingly Democratic 2nd District would be difficult, Magnum said the simple fact that he is a Republican — which associates him with President George W. Bush — put him at a disadvantage from the outset.
Baldwin spoke about some key issues of the campaign that she hopes to change in her upcoming term, including energy policies, education and health care.
"We seek to end our dependence on sources of energy that are foreign, finite and filthy," she said. "We seek an end to this administration's indifference to the millions in America without health care, and we seek to begin down a path towards health care coverage for all Americans."
Baldwin's supporters erupted in applause when she called for an end to the war in Iraq.
In addressing supporters at Madison's Dining & Diversions in Madison, Magnum criticized Baldwin, but wished her well during her next term.
"Tammy Baldwin is going to get another chance to try and represent this district," Magnum said. "And we wish her well."
Magnum, a self-proclaimed "moderate Republican," said all he wanted was to represent the majority of citizens.
"We've got 15 percent way off on the extreme left — where Tammy Baldwin is — and 15 percent way off on the other extreme," he said. "The fact is most of us are in the middle."
Addressing his claim of Baldwin's ineffectiveness and the current partisan polarization in Congress, Magnum said he wanted to bring some "decorum" back to Washington.
Stephanie Biese, chair of University of Wisconsin organization Students for Tammy Baldwin, was excited at the outcome of the election.
"We are very proud of Tammy," she said. "She did a great job reaching everyone in her district, especially campus."
Overall, though, Magnum was pleased with his campaign's efforts as well, saying on a "level playing field" he proved he was the better candidate with debate victories and newspaper endorsements.
"We made a better case to be the congressman for the second cycle in a row," he told supporters. "But the fact is politics is unlike anything else."