By Rosanna Cole
Wisconsin has elected Democratic Representative, Tammy Baldwin, to the US Senate, which will make her the country’s first openly gay senator.
She won the race for the seat against Republican, Tommy Thompson, a former Wisconsin governor who has been involved with politics in the state for 25 years.
Wisconsin was one of the most expensive Senate races in the country: ad costs for both campaigns topped $65m.
Baldwin takes the seat formally occupied by Democrat, Senator Herb Kohl.
It is believed that her occupation of the seat will coerce the Senate to increase its engagement with LGBT issues.