Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., announced today her campaign for the U.S. Senate raised $2 million in the first quarter of 2012.  More than 40,000 individuals have now contributed to her campaign, and she has $2.7 million cash on hand.

Baldwin, who could become the country’s first openly LGBT senator, has no serious competition for the Democratic nomination.  On the Republican side, at least four candidates will fight for their party’s nod later this summer.  One of those, former U.S. Rep. Mark Neumann, reported raising $650,000 in the first quarter.

Baldwin is set to speak this Sunday at the Victory Fund’s National Champagne Brunch, which will be held at the Washington Hilton Hotel.  For more information or to purchase tickets, go here.

Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., leads an unnamed Republican candidate by 5 percentage points in her race for the U.S. Senate, according to a new NBC News/Marist poll.  The survey of nearly 2,800 registered Wisconsin voters was conducted March 26th and 27th, National Journal reports.

Baldwin, who could become America’s first openly LGBT senator, will likely face one of four Republicans running in their party’s Senate primary.  Recent head-to-head polling found her beating three of them, and roughly tied with GOP front runner Tommy Thompson, a former Wisconsin governor who served four years as HHS secretary in the administration of George W. Bush.

The new poll numbers are particularly impressive given a recent push by a Washington-based conservative group to try to dampen enthusiasm for Baldwin.  The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which represents corporate interests, spent more than $400,000 in February on negative advertising across Wisconsin targeting Baldwin.

A just-released poll from Public Policy Polling finds Wisconsin’s presumptive Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate, Rep. Tammy Baldwin, leading all three Republicans who are battling for their party’s nomination.

Baldwin’s closest competitor, former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson, trails Baldwin by one point, while two other GOP candidates trail her by 6 and 8 points.  According to PPP, the race is likely to remain close all year.

“Tammy is talking about the issues most Wisconsin families really care about, so it’s no surprise that her message is resonating with Wisconsin voters,” said Tiffany Muller, vice president for political operations at the Victory Fund, which has endorsed Baldwin.

Learn more about Tammy’s historic campaign and how you can help here.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a conservative corporate lobbying group based in Washington, D.C., has launched a $400,000 negative ad blitz against Rep. Tammy Baldwin, who could become the first openly LGBT member of the U.S. Senate.  The early spending is designed to shape public opinion of Baldwin, the only major Democrat running, while several GOP contenders duke it out during their party’s primary race.

“Electing Tammy Baldwin to the Senate is important to LGBT Americans.  For far too long we’ve gone without an authentic voice for our community in that chamber – nobody to speak from experience about what it means to face discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.  It’s unfortunate that groups like the Chamber want to stand in the way of progress,” said Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Victory Fund.

Victory has launched a drive to help defend Baldwin and build her rapid response fund.

Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., has pulled even with and even leads several Republicans who are expected to challenge her for the U.S. Senate Seat being vacated by Sen. Herb Kohl.  The race is a toss-up, according to Public Policy Polling.

In PPP’s new poll, Baldwin gains six percentage points on former Gov. Tommy Thompson, now trailing him within the margin of error.  She leads former Congressman Mark Neumann by 1 point now, up 5 points since PPP’s last poll.

“This will be a very tough race, but Tammy is a very tough woman.  She’s fighting for middle-class families, and that’s clearly resonating,” said Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Victory Fund.

For poll details, go here.