US Senate race: Eric Hovde talks election, abortion in Milwaukee visit
MILWAUKEE - Wisconsin is often a 50-50 state; recent presidential elections have been decided by less than a point.
But in battleground Wisconsin, Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin in 2018 won by 11 points. She's been campaigning in rural areas.
Meanwhile, Republican challenger Eric Vovde went to Democratic stronghold Milwaukee on Thursday, April 4. Former President Donald Trump endorsed him earlier in the week.
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Hovde hosted a roundtable in the city’s Bronzeville neighborhood.
"I believe we’re too divided as a country," he said. "I think our politics have been dividing us, be it on gender, be it on race, be it on socio-economic issues or classes, be it on religion. We have to stop dividing us."
Hovde hosted lunch and a roundtable at Pepperpot, where community activist Vaun Mayes joined the conversation about pressing issues like housing.
"I’ve come to the table with Republicans, and a lot of times, they may listen and hear, but, as someone said in the conversation, there’s a hope that you’re not just taking the information just to say you had the conversation and not do anything about it," Mayes said. "We’re not just a straight Democrat city, but we’re willing to listen to anybody who will actually help. But a lot of times, as you know, help doesn't come from that side, so we’ll see what happens."
Hovde then took reporter questions, including on the former president's unproven claims the election was stolen.
"Look, I’m not here to litigate 2020. I’m running in 2024. I’m running for the U.S. Senate," he said. "But I do say, we have to get confidence back in our election system [...] but, we’ve got to move past that. We’ve got to get confidence in our election process. I'm really happy that the referendums passed because that’s just a step in that process."
Conservatives have taken issue with the outside group funded by Facebook's Mark Zuckerburg, which helped more than 200 Wisconsin municipalities with their pandemic elections. Most of the money went to the five largest and Democratic cities.
Voters on Tuesday, April 2, voted to amend the constitution to ban outside grants for elections.
He also touched on abortion and in-vitro fertilization.
"I believe in exceptions, I believe in the beauty of life. I think women early on in a pregnancy should have the right to make a choice, but I think there is a point where once a baby can be born, healthy and alive, that’s unconscionable that that baby can be terminated," he said.
When asked if he would draw the line at 14 weeks, 12, or 10, he replied, ‘I’m not going to pick that time. I think it’s put back to the voters of Wisconsin. I think we need to do a referendum in the state, everybody has their vote, I’ll have my vote, you’ll have your vote and let the people of Wisconsin."
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He's calling for a referendum on the topic, which is the same approach Sen. Ron Johnson suggested when he won his Senate race in 2022.
In Tuesday's presidential primary, we got a snapshot of voters' thoughts in 2024.
About 23,000 more people voted for Republican presidential candidates than Democrats. But, President Biden got 35,000 more votes than former president Trump.
Still, 45,000 Democratic primary voters picked "uninstructed."
"It’s too early to tell whether those undecided will remain undecided, we’re months away," Democratic Gov. Tony Evers said. "I know they did it to make a point and make their voices heard and that’s great, and at the end of the day, we’ll see what happens in November."
Evers also reacted to Trump endorsing Hovde.
"It’s breathtaking, I guess," he said.
