Contenders in key Wisconsin Senate race come out swinging after primaries

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Republican millionaire businessman Eric Hovde and Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin are wasting no time going after one another.

Hovde easily captured the GOP nomination on Tuesday, officially setting the field in Wisconsin's closely watched Senate race. The seat in battleground Wisconsin is seen as essential for Democrats, who know they must win there if they hope to maintain majority control of the Senate. A win there for Republicans would dramatically increase their chances of gaining the upper hand in an election landscape that has Democrats defending far more Senate seats this year.

Hovde is banking on his deep pockets and an endorsement from former President Donald Trump to knock off Baldwin, a liberal Democrat who has honed her ability to appeal to key independent and moderate voters. He faced only nominal opposition in the primary and has been focused on Baldwin since he got into the race. He’s already poured $13 million of his personal wealth into the contest in just four months.

“Tammy Baldwin has been in Washington for twenty-five years and things have only gotten worse,” Hovde said in a statement after his primary win. “It’s time for change.”