As Wisconsin’s Senate race gets more heated ahead of Election Day, the Hovde campaign has taken a turn with a pronounced focus on Sen. Tammy Baldwin’s relationship, according to a CNN article. Recently, U.S. Senate candidate Eric Hovde released a campaign ad criticizing Baldwin for not disclosing her partner’s assets.
In recent weeks, GOP advertisements have fixated on Baldwin’s relationship with her partner, Maria Brisbane, and framed her as a figure of scrutiny, according to CNN. One tactic employed by Hovde involves demanding Baldwin disclose her partner’s assets.
Brisbane is a private wealth advisor and has advised clients in fields related to the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and Education, all of which Baldwin has jurisdiction over as chair of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Despite Hovde’s claims, Baldwin is not required to submit financial information for her partner, Brisbane. Current Senate financial disclosure rules only require candidates to report financial information for spouses and dependents.
Hovde’s campaign has gone further by calling Brisbane “Wall Street,” which suggests an improper relationship between Baldwin’s political position and her partner’s professional affiliations.
When questioned about whether he would disclose his specific net worth, especially in light of his demands for Baldwin to provide information about her partner, Hovde chose not to respond, according to CNN.
Baldwin’s campaign has condemned these attacks, saying Hovde has built his entire campaign on fear and division.
Baldwin campaign spokeswoman Laine Bottemiller said the people of Wisconsin deserve a Senator who respects and unites them.
“I think it really just proves the type of campaign that Hovde runs,” Bottemiller said. “He’s running this really divisive and dark campaign … these attack ads just fall in line with the rest of his campaign.”
Hovde has been fact-checked over 19 times on topics such as abortion and immigration, according to WisDems.
Baldwin appeared on MSNBC today to discuss her campaign and respond to the Hovde campaign claims. Baldwin said she is fighting for the people of Wisconsin and the difference in issues between herself and Hovde couldn’t be more evident.
“Eric Hovde is desperately trying to distract us from his real vulnerabilities and conflicts of interest,” Baldwin said on MSNBC.
Hovde’s campaign team did not immediately respond to The Badger Herald’s requests for comment.
