(The Center Square) – Republican Wisconsin Senate candidate Eric Hovde touted his business experience and acumen as a reason he understands real-world issues such as health care, housing and inflation at a Tuesday appearance in front of the Milwaukee Press Club.
“What our Founding Fathers wanted was citizen legislators, someone who brought their skills to the federal government,” Hovde explained.
Hovde appeared in front of the press club as Cook Political Report called the race with incumbent Democrat Senator Tammy Baldwin a toss-up and the tightest senatorial race in the country.
Baldwin was invited to the event but was not in attendance. Baldwin and Hovde have a scheduled debate at 7 p.m. on Oct. 18 in Madison.
Hovde, along with brothers Steve and Eric, own three banking companies while Eric Hovde is CEO of Hovde Properties and H Bancorp.
Hovde said that he plans to push to reduce federal spending to pre-COVID levels as the federal deficit has run up from $16 trillion in 2012 to $35 trillion.
“If there is something I am going to have a difference with president Trump, it’s going to be the debt issue,” Hovde said.
Hovde said he was in attendance because he believes that campaigns should be about issues and people taking questions from journalists and the public, not about rhetoric. Hovde said that, if elected, he plans to go across the aisle and engage with all Democratic Senators, finding common ground and listening.
“I plan to win this race,” Hovde said. “I will win this race.”
Hovde called the $8 million he gave his own campaign one of the worst investments he has ever made in terms of financial gain but said that he vowed not to take money from special interests so he would not become beholden to them if elected.
“I won’t compromise my principles,” Hovde said.
Hovde called inflation the “most insidious backdoor tax” and said the reason it occurred was the federal government had to print additional money to pay for added federal spending, leaving more money available and the same amount of good and services backing it.
When asked about fair elections, Hovde said that politicians on both side of the aisle, from former President Donald Trump to candidate Hilary Clinton, need to start accepting the results of elections.
“We have to get confidence in our election process,” Hovde said. “If I lose, I lose.”
Hovde said that stopping the free flow of immigration across the southern border is another large priority and he would start deportation with “anyone convicted of a criminal act.”
