Tammy Baldwin Wins US Senate Race in Wisconsin Over Tommy Thompson

Tonight, history was made in Wisconsin.  Democrat Tammy Baldwin won election to the United States Senate over Republican former Governor Tommy Thompson.  Baldwin becomes Wisconsin’s first female Senator and the United States’ first openly gay, lesbian, bisexual and/or transgendered Senator.

See this link from the Huffington Post for further details.

Here are a few words from Senator-elect Baldwin (via the above-mentioned link):

“Now, I am well aware that I will have the honor to be Wisconsin’s first woman U.S. senator. And I am well aware I will be the first openly gay member of the United States Senate,” she added, with the crowd drowning her out and chanting “Tammy! Tammy!”

“But I didn’t run to make history,” she continued. “I ran to make a difference –- a difference in the lives of families struggling to find work and pay the bills, a difference in the lives of students worried about debt and seniors worried about their retirement security, a difference in the lives of veterans who fought for us and need someone fighting for them and their families when they return home from war, a difference in the lives of entrepreneurs trying to build a business and working people trying to build some economic security.”

Baldwin’s former seat in the US House of Representatives was won by state Assemblyman Mark Pocan (D), who’s also openly gay.  (Pocan is a liberal firebrand who should do an excellent job for the residents of Wisconsin’s 2nd District.)  As GayPolitics.com put it, Pocan will be the “next out member of Congress.”  Pocan’s win is also the first time one openly gay member of Congress has been succeeded by another in the same district (also per GayPolitics.com).

Congratulations, Senator-elect Baldwin and Representative-elect Pocan!