Tammy Baldwin
All eyes will be on Wisconsin this fall, a battleground state that could swing red in November—and where voters could elect Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D) as the first openly gay U.S. Senator in history. Since her election to the House of Representatives in 1999, the Madison native has been one of the staunchest progressive lawmakers in Congress, supporting legislation for women’s equality, affordable healthcare, Social Security and Medicare, and clean energy technology. She is now running for the seat vacated by retiring Sen. Herb Kohl (D), who won election in 1988. Baldwin’s likely Republican opponent is Tommy Thompson, the former Wisconsin governor and Health and Human Services Secretary under George W. Bush. Not surprisingly, there is a glaring contrast between the two candidates’ records on political issues, such as healthcare and reproductive rights: Thompson agreed that it would be “a good day for America” if Roe v. Wade were repealed, while Baldwin scores 100% by NARAL on her pro-choice voting record. Although this race will be an uphill battle for Baldwin, a broad-minded grassroots campaign and key endorsements could put her over the top.
