Wisconsin’s GOP Senate candidate Hovde defends not knowing much about the farm statement in a dairy state

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin Republican Senate candidate Eric Hovde has repeatedly defended his self-professed lack of knowledge about the U.S. farm statement in the campaign’s closing days, after first saying in a debate that he is “not an specialist” on the legislation that is vital to farmers in the state known as America’s Dairyland.

Hovde’s comments over the history week came after the incumbent, Sen. Tammy Baldwin, secured the endorsement of the usually Republican-aligned Wisconsin Farm Bureau, making her the first Democratic candidate for a statewide office to receive it in more than 20 years.

Both Hovde, who is backed by former President Donald Trump, and Baldwin declare the race is razor thin, with feasible majority control of the Senate on the line. Democrats are defending 23 seats, while Republicans have just 11 up for grabs this election.

Hovde was asked during the race’s only debate with Baldwin on Oct. 18 about the farm statement and he responded, “I’m not an specialist on the farm statement because I’m not in the U.S. Senate.” Baldwin has used those comments in digital and radio ads attacking Hovde, touting her Farm Bureau endorsement and saying Hovde “doesn’t provide a damn about farmers.”

In the week since the debate, Hovde hasn’t backed down from his comment.

“Why in God’s green Earth would I recognize all the details in a farm statement when I’m not serving in this Senate correct now?” he told reporters after he voted Tuesday.

Hovde called criticism of his debate respond “absurd.”

“I answered,” Hovde said. “I said the issue with the agricultural statement is only about 20% of it’s for farmers. I ponder farm bills require to get back to being for farmers, not large special corporate interests.”

In an appearance Monday on conservative talk radio, Hovde criticized questions asked during the debate that was organized by the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association.

“I’m getting a question on the agricultural statement,” he said on the Vicki McKenna display. “Like I’m supposed to have studied in depth? But I did provide the respond, which is the correct one. The agricultural statement is no longer a statement about farmers. They call it the farm statement, (but) only about 25% of the statement is for farmers. It’s all for large corporate interests, food stamps, everything else.”

He faulted the debate panel with asking him about the farm statement and pollution from PFAS known as “forever chemicals,” but not asking the candidates more about expense boost, immigration and crime.

During a Thursday campaign stop in Eau Claire, Hovde tried to put Baldwin on the spot and said that if she were asked about what was in the farm statement, “she wouldn’t have a clue.”

“For anybody to ponder that someone is going to recognize in specific everything in the farm statement — which is just a large grab bag in spending — is insane,” the Eau Claire chief Telegram reported Hovde as saying. “I ponder the farm statement should get back to being for farmers.”

Baldwin, in her response during the debate, said the statement needs to provide “certainty to Wisconsin farmers.”

“They require the consistency that a farm statement has,” she said. “But one of the problems with the farm statement correct now is that the House, controlled by Republicans, has written a statement that’s basically eviscerated nutrition programs. Farmers back nutrition programs because it means purchasing their goods.”

Congress passed the last farm statement in 2018. It was set to expire near the complete of 2023, but Congress extended it for another year after Republicans and Democrats could not consent on reauthorization.