Baldwin, Hovde Debate in Close Wisconsin US Senate Race

Democrat Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Republican challenger Eric Hovde squared off in an Oct. 18 debate less than three weeks before Election Day. The one-hour exchange marked the first and only planned debate of the contest over Baldwin’s U.S. Senate seat, and both candidates traded barbs throughout. Polling margins in the race have narrowed, with the incumbent Baldwin leading Hovde by about 2.7 points across the RealClearPolitics polling average. During the debate, a panel of journalists from broadcasters across the state asked questions of the two candidates, while career broadcaster Jill Geisler moderated. Baldwin and Hovde typically had about a minute to respond to each question and Geisler closely enforced the time cut-offs....