Tammy Baldwin and Leah Vukmir Clash in First Senate Debate

Senator Tammy Baldwin and her Republican opponent Leah Vukmir clashed on everything from healthcare and #metoo to gun control and abortions all in front of a raucous audience at their first debate before the midterm elections for U.S. Senate.

Members of the crowd cheered, booed, hooted, hollered, scoffed and sneered at the candidates and didn’t seem to be swayed by the moderators’ calls for civility.

“It was intense,” said Mitch Teich, one of the debate’s moderators and journalist for 89.7 WUWM. “But I think we expected it to be this way because there is so much at stake.”

The candidates agreed on very little throughout the debate. When Baldwin called for an increase in the minimum wage, Vukmir said that the free market should be left to set its own wages. When Vukmir expressed her desire for President Trump’s border wall with Mexico, Baldwin said that she wanted talk about immigration reform that wouldn’t harm Wisconsin’s dairy farmers.

Baldwin supporters made up the majority of the crowd, but Vukmir supporters in attendance also made sure their presence was known. Many sat clustered together and wore bright red shirts, the color of the Republican party, in unison.

 When asked for their stance on late-term abortions, Baldwin said that she supported a woman’s right to choose and that the government shouldn’t interfere.

The crowd erupted into cheers.

Vukmir said that she could never support “a woman’s right to kill her baby” and that she was 100 percent pro-life.

A mixture of boos and applause filled the auditorium, each side trying to drown out the other.

When moderators brought up the recent confirmation and hearing of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, both candidates had plenty to say, but the crowds seemed even more eager to talk about the national story.

“I didn’t want the outcome to silence a new generation,” Baldwin said on the results last week’s hearing.

Baldwin said that a more respectful proceeding would have been more helpful for the whole process.

Vukmir felt that the hearing was little more than a political attack against the conservatives.

“#metoo was hurt by the proceedings of last week,” Vukmir said.

With this, the red shirts in the crowd began to chant Vukmir’s name.

“What happened with Dr. Ford being paraded on that stage was totally inappropriate,” said Christine Bauman, a suburban mom who attended the debate. “She was Victimized twice because of it and that is why I’m going to vote for Vukmir.”

At least within the crowd, the candidates didn’t seem to win over any new supporters. Every audience member interviewed said that their minds were already made up before they even sat down.

“I came here because I wanted to hear more from Baldwin’s opponent, but I’m a Democrat, so, you know,” said Matthew Katz, an 18-year-old UWM student voting in his first election.