The escalating Senatorial contest in Wisconsin becomes embroiled in intense discord as the Republican party focuses its attacks on the partner of a gay legislator.
The Democratic candidate was leading in the polls and was expected to retain her position. Her Republican opponent, Eric Hovde, who runs a $3 billion bank, was under attack by the Democrats due to his wealth and past comments. Moreover, Kamala Harris brought new energy to the Democratic ticket, making the competition in one of the nation's most divided battleground states more competitive.
However, the GOP shifted their strategy before the election. They focused on exposing the Democrat's same-sex relationship and her partner's career as a financial adviser, even though there was no solid evidence of a conflict of interest and the Democrat vehemently denied the allegations. Republicans contend that this attack is justifiable, while Democrats view it as a hidden message, pointing out that the partners of male senators rarely come under scrutiny.
"I think he is," the Democrat said when asked if Hovde was trying to remind voters of her sexual orientation. Hovde, however, claimed that he was uninterested in her sexuality, calling the idea "ridiculous."
The Wisconsin Senate race has turned into one of the most personal and acrimonious in the nation. The seat is one of eight critical battlegrounds for Democrats to defend against Republican attempts to seize control of the Senate. If Democrats lose Wisconsin, there's little hope of holding on to power in the Senate.
Hovde has attempted to connect himself with former President Donald Trump's supporters to secure a narrow victory against a long-standing incumbent admired by the progressive left.
The campaign has been marked by fierce debates between the two candidates on various controversial issues, such as abortion rights, immigration, and the economy. However, given the divided electorate in the Trump era, Hovde has consistently emphasized cultural wars in his final pitch, attacking the Democrat over transgender policies and focusing on her partner's professional ties, hoping to draw Republican and right-leaning independent voters into his orbit.
"This is always the hardest race," the Democrat stated when asked to compare her current contest to her past campaigns. She won her first House seat representing Madison in 1998. "It's a highly divisive time. I don't see as many ticket-splitters as I used to in the past. I'm hoping for some, but I think this is a different type of race."
The GOP ads frequently underscored the Democrat's relationship, highlighting that her partner is her "girlfriend" and pressuring her to disclose her partner's clients, which is required only for spouses under Senate regulations - not for girlfriends or boyfriends.
"Baldwin's in bed with Wall Street," a woman claims in one of Hovde's ads while sitting in her kitchen.
Asked if she should disclose her partner's clients to avoid the impression of inappropriateness, the Democrat contended that was going beyond her boundaries.
"If I was dating a doctor, should they disclose their patients? I mean, come on. Just leave my personal life alone. I disclose everything I'm legally required to disclose."
Hovde's wealth and California connections
If Hovde wins, he could be one of the wealthiest or even the wealthiest senators. Raised in Madison and graduating from the University of Wisconsin, Hovde helped build his family's real estate empire and became the owner of $3 billion Sunwest Bank.
Hovde's actual net worth isn't clear due to Senate rules requiring disclosure of a range of assets. However, he has at least $195 million in assets, based on public records.
Refusing to reveal his actual net worth, given his demands for the Democrat to disclose information about her partner, and unwilling to reveal the amount of his personal investments in the race, Hovde stated that he would not share these details. He's already spent $20 million of his personal funds on the campaign.
And when asked if his abundant wealth could be a disadvantage, he questioned why it would be a problem. "I work with the people of Wisconsin."
Hovde has not committed to selling his bank if he wins the election, an issue Democrats have seized on to accuse him of potential conflicts of interest if he doesn't.
He has also faced criticism of his $7 million home in Laguna Beach, California, and his connections to Orange County, California. Hovde was named the 500th most influential person in Orange County between 2018 and 2020 by the Orange County Business Journal.
"And I remind Wisconsinites, we have a Green County, we have a Brown County, Wisconsin," the Democrat emphasized. "We do not have an Orange County, Wisconsin."
Hovde dismissed the attacks as unjust, maintaining that he has only spent about three months per year in Laguna Beach over the past five years, and has kept his residence in Madison, located near Lake Mendota.
"She went completely scorched earth, attempting to convince people I'm from California," Hovde lamented. "And I've had my home, my residence, not even a mile away, down here on Lake Mendota."
It's Hovde's prior remarks that have placed him in hot water, too – some of which he made during his unsuccessful Senate primary bid in 2012.
Among these statements, Hovde suggested there should be repercussions for poor personal choices such as eating unhealthy food and becoming obese, implying that these individuals' health insurance "is going to cost more." These comments are now the foundation of Baldwin's criticisms against Hovde, questioning: "What's wrong with this guy?"
Recently, when asked if he still believes in this perspective, Hovde answered: "I've distanced myself from that view" and acknowledged that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has enlightened him about potential toxins in the food supply.
"We wish to inspire people to make wise choices," said Hovde, who himself developed multiple sclerosis at age 27. "However, I've gained a new understanding regarding how much our food supply contributes to many health problems in our nation."
Baldwin's 2009 comments regarding a former partner resurface
In spite of the fierce assaults on Baldwin's companion, Hovde maintains that he has been the one who has been unfairly castigated.
"I initially entered this race to discuss issues," he asserted.
Nevertheless, it's the extensive influx of GOP funds that has seemingly shifted the race's momentum. Even though Democrats are prepared to outperform the GOP in Wisconsin spending since the commencement of the year, Hovde and his partners have invested $51 million in adverts from October 1 through Election Day, compared to $39 million for Democrats over the same timeframe. And a significant portion of this late funding has concentrated on Republican criticisms of Baldwin's partner's work.
In the latest line of attack, Republicans are highlighting revived comments from 2009 when Baldwin was a congresswoman and promoting a bill to give federal worker benefits to domestic partners. At a hearing, Baldwin suggested she should have to disclose her domestic partner's financial records.
"Certainly, the public interest would demand that these obligations apply also to partners of gay and lesbian officeholders," she said at the time.
When asked to reconcile her current position with her previous one, Baldwin explained the distinction between her former and present scenarios. Previously, she said, she was in a domestic partnership. And now, she and Brisbane are still dating, although they share a condo in Washington together. They purchased the condo in 2021 for $1.3 million.
"So I prefer not to delve into my past life, but we had a domestic partnership law in Wisconsin at the time, and my ex and I were legally domestic partners," Baldwin explained when asked about her 2009 declarations. "That's not the case in my current situation."
To counter Hovde's criticisms, Baldwin has gone on air to label the accusations as "a complete lie" and has also mentioned her efforts to restrict stock trading for senators and their spouses. Asked why this bill shouldn't apply to her partner, Baldwin defended:
"I believe the difference is clear," Baldwin said. "And if you're dating someone, you don't have to disclose their finances. If you're married to someone, you do, and that's a clear line, and I think it's very appropriate."
Baldwin then redirected attention to potential conflicts of interest with Hovde's bank ownership.
"I disclose everything I'm required to," she said. "I think he's also attempting to divert attention from his judging weaknesses. .... Consider him on the Banking Committee, setting regulations for banks. I mean, this is an alarming conflict of interest I believe he wishes to evade attention from."
When asked about his ads implying Baldwin is "in bed with Wall Street," Hovde answered: "Well, one of my advertising or design team created that, yes. And the message is, have you noticed her ads about me?"
However, when asked about his own ties to the financial sector, Hovde replied: "I don't have a problem if you have connections to Wall Street. But don't sit here and run for 26 years claiming 'I'm battling against Wall Street,' while you're accepting massive funds from Wall Street."
Despite the Democrats focusing on Eric Hovde's wealth and past comments as a weakness, the Wisconsin Senate race has become increasingly personal and contentious. The Republicans have shifted their strategy and started attacking the Democratic candidate's same-sex relationship and her partner's career, causing a stir in the political arena.
The campaign has seen a significant increase in GOP spending, with Hovde and his partners investing $51 million in ads from October 1 through Election Day, compared to $39 million for Democrats. This surge in funding has largely been directed towards criticisms of the Democratic candidate's partner's work, further intensifying the political dynamics.
