Midwest
Republican Eric Hovde seeks to flip Democrat Baldwin's seat red in Wisconsin Senate race
Republican businessman and real estate mogul Eric Hovde launched his bid for the U.S. Senate against Wisconsin Democratic incumbent Sen. Tammy Baldwin on Tuesday, saying in a video that “America is slipping away” and “everything is going in the wrong direction.”
This is Hovde’s second Senate campaign; he ran in 2012 but lost in the GOP primary to former Gov. Tommy Thompson. Baldwin went on to win election that year and is now seeking a third term in battleground Wisconsin.
Hovde planned to hold his first campaign event later Tuesday with an event at a building developed by his real estate company. In a video posted on his campaign website, Hovde mentioned the economy, health care, crime and “open borders” as issues he will focus on during the campaign.
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“I believe we need to come together and find commonsense solutions,” Hovde said in the video.
Reelecting Baldwin to a third term is critical for Democratic hopes to maintain majority control of the Senate. Democrats are defending 23 seats in the Senate in November, including two held by independents who caucus with Democrats. That’s compared with just 11 seats that Republicans hope to keep in their column.
Baldwin’s campaign branded Hovde as “an out-of-touch megamillionaire” in a fundraising email sent minutes after his campaign website went live. Baldwin’s campaign said Hovde would “rubber stamp” the agenda of Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell.
“Hovde would vote to pass a national abortion ban, raise taxes on working families and seniors while cutting Social Security and Medicare, and repeal the Affordable Care Act,” Wisconsin Democratic Party spokesperson Arik Wolk said separately.
Eric Hovde, candidate for the U.S. Senate, gives his concession speech to supporters during his election night party Tuesday Aug. 14, 2012 in Peawaukee, Wis. The Republican businessman and real estate mogul launched his bid for the U.S. Senate against Wisconsin Democratic incumbent Sen. Tammy Baldwin, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, saying in a video that “America is slipping away” and “everything is going in the wrong direction.” This marks the second Senate campaign for Hovde, who ran in 2012 but lost in the GOP primary to former Gov. Tommy Thompson. (AP Photo/Tom Lynn)
The National Republican Senatorial Committee, the campaign arm of Senate Republicans, is backing Hovde.
“Eric Hovde’s experience as a job creator rather than a career politician makes him a strong candidate to flip Wisconsin’s Senate seat this year,” said Montana Sen. Steve Daines, chair of the NRSC, in a statement.
Other Republicans are considering challenging Hovde for the nomination. Scott Mayer, a Franklin businessman, and former Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke are also considering Senate runs. Other higher profile Republicans, including U.S. Reps. Tom Tiffany and Mike Gallagher, opted against running.
Mayer’s campaign had no comment Tuesday.
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Wisconsin’s primary is scheduled for Aug. 13.
In his 2012 race, Hovde described himself as a free-market conservative. He campaigned as a supporter of overturning the Affordable Care Act, the national health care law signed by former President Barack Obama, an abortion opponent and supporter of overturning Roe v. Wade. The U.S. Supreme Court did that in 2022, fueling wins by Democratic candidates that year who supported abortion rights. Baldwin has already said she plans to highlight abortion rights in this year’s Senate race.
Hovde’s business empire includes Hovde Properties, a real estate development company founded by his grandfather in 1933, and three banking companies. He is CEO of Sunwest Bank, has appeared in television commercials for them that air out west, and owns a $7 million estate in Laguna Beach, California, in addition to his property in Madison.
He returned to Madison in 2011 after living in Washington, D.C., for 24 years.
Democrats have branded Hovde as a carpetbagger who left his California mansion to run for Senate in Wisconsin, where he was born and raised.
Baldwin most recently won reelection by 11 points in a race that was seen as a model for how to run as a Democrat statewide in Wisconsin. She is a tireless campaigner, garnered broad support, including among independents and voters outside of Democratic strongholds in Madison and Milwaukee, and she raised millions of dollars to fuel the successful bid.
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The Lincoln Marathon will bring street closures, parking restrictions and increased activity to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s City Campus this weekend, with events culminating May 3.
Portions of campus will be included in the race route, including start and finish lines, and faculty and staff should expect delays due to runners and spectators.
Closures will begin as early as 10 p.m. May 1 on parts of 14th Street, with additional restrictions May 2-3. Impacts on the morning and afternoon of May 3 will be the most significant.
Faculty and staff are encouraged to plan ahead, allow extra travel time and use alternate routes if coming to campus.
A detailed map and full list of closures is available from Parking and Transit Services.
WASHINGTON (KMOT) – Members of North Dakota’s Congressional delegation shared their responses to King Charles’ visit to the United States this week, and his speech before a joint session of Congress on Tuesday.
Rep. Julie Fedorchak, R-ND, provided the following statement:
“Welcoming King Charles III to a joint session of the Congress was a historic moment and a real time to reflect on the relationship between our two nation’s dating back more than 250 years. His speech was funny, touching, and quite inspiring as he discussed the many positive outcomes of the alliance between the US and the UK.”
Sen. John Hoeven, R-ND, provided the following statement:
“King Charles’ visit to the U.S. and his address to Congress celebrate the enduring friendship between our two nations. In particular, I welcomed his focus on our shared values and traditions and our nations’ rich histories, which bind us closely together. As we face increased threats from our adversaries, this is a tremendous opportunity to reaffirm our continued relationship as allies and our commitment to defending our people and our way of life.”
Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-ND, provided the following statement:
“To hear King Charles III address Congress while I’m a member of it is really special for me. I can’t help but think about myself, a 14th generation American with three ancestors actually on the Mayflower, the ‘original rebels’ if you will. It is moments like this that remind us the relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom transcends history and it maintains relevance today. The King, like the President at the White House, talked about values that the President said was handed down to Americans from our family from Great Britain: freedom, democracy, the rule of law. It’s remarkable when you think about the timing of this visit and this speech. Here we are as we celebrate 250 years of American independence from Great Britain, and it shows us how far we’ve come. Two countries who were once on opposite sides of a war, as well as an ocean, are now among the closest allies in the world.
“From the White House ceremony to today’s address before Congress, the whole visit really puts this important, geopolitical, family partnership on full display for the world to see. I was grateful to witness history and to be part of welcoming Their Majesties.”
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Ohio’s U.S. Congressional District changes
Here is how Ohio’s new U.S. congressional district boundaries will compare to the old ones in four districts in the Cincinnati area.
May 5 is a primary Election Day in Ohio. Voters will choose candidates to represent their party on the ballot in the November elections. Some voters also have tax levies.
Here are The Enquirer’s primers on the top contested primary races:
For Republicans:
Ohio governor
Ohio Secretary of State
Ohio Treasurer
Ohio Supreme Court
U.S. House District 1
U.S. House District 2
Butler County Commissioner
Warren County Commissioner
Clermont County Commissioner
For Democrats
Ohio Attorney General
U.S. House District 1
U.S. House District 2
U.S. House District 8
U.S. House District 10
Hamilton County Commissioner
Clermont County Commissioner
Nonpartisan issues
School levies to watch
Full list of everything on the ballot
Go deeper
The Enquirer background-checked every local congressional candidate. What we found
Inside the two primaries for Ohio’s 1st Congressional District
Who’s paying for the congressional races?
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