Fact-Checking Election Ad Lies about Baldwin

Senator Tammy Baldwin has been barraged by negative ads from the Hovde campaign and independent groups. 

Fact checkers have found that the extreme claims in the ads are false or misleading. Here is a summary, dated October 16.  https://wisdems.org/wisdems-news/independent-fact-checkers-call-out-eric-hovdes-lies/. 

Independent Fact Checkers Call Out Eric Hovde’s Lies

MADISON, Wis. — Eric Hovde continues to lie, lie, and lie again to Wisconsinites. He has been called out for lying a grand total of 19 times during his campaign. 

At his debate with Tammy Baldwin on Friday, Hovde is going to keep lying to voters to distract from his extreme agenda of banning abortion, cutting Social Security and Medicare, and spending $4 trillion on new tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy like himself. 

Read fact checks on a handful of Hovde’s lies below: 

Politifact Wisconsin: Hovde misses mark on claim that Baldwin ‘has done absolutely nothing’ on fentanyl

Hovde claimed Baldwin “has done absolutely nothing” to address the fentanyl crisis in Wisconsin. 

For years, Baldwin has been outspoken about her work to address the growing number of issues with opioids in the state, including fentanyl. In particular, Baldwin has signed on to, championed or even introduced bills aimed at tackling the issue not just in Wisconsin, but across the country. 

We rate this claim False.

Wisconsin Public Radio: Senate candidate Eric Hovde says most nursing home residents not ‘at a point to vote’

U.S. Senate candidate Eric Hovde said recently most nursing home residents are not “at a point to vote” because of limited life expectancy, reviving an argument some conservatives made in the wake of the 2020 election.

“Well, if you’re in a nursing home, you only have five, six months life expectancy. Almost nobody in a nursing home is at a point to vote, and you had … adult children showing up and saying, ‘Who voted for my 85- or 90-year-old father or mother?’” Hovde said.

Advocates for older voters and voters with disabilities said Hovde’s claims echo misinformation about the rights of nursing home residents.

“Regardless of length of stay, illness or a change in living situation does not dictate someone’s ability to vote,” Lisa Hassenstab, public policy manager at Disability Rights Wisconsin, wrote in an email.

“We had nursing homes where the Sheriff of Racine investigated, where you had 100 percent voting in nursing homes,” Hovde said.

Those claims have not stood up to multiple investigations and court challenges. A Wisconsin State Journal investigation found that just one Dane County nursing home — with 12 residents — had 100 percent voter turnout, and that elsewhere turnout ranged from 42 to 91 percent.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Fact check: Eric Hovde says opponent Tammy Baldwin ‘gave stimulus checks to illegals.’

But undocumented immigrants were not eligible for the checks, and the checks only went to people with a Social Security number. 

We rate the claim False.

Wisconsin State Journal: Fact check: FEMA money isn’t being diverted to help immigrants

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Eric Hovde on Tuesday repeated false claims alleging the Federal Emergency Management Agency has run out of funds set aside to assist those impacted by Hurricane Helene.

Hovde’s assertion mirrors false claims and conspiracy theories surrounding FEMA’s ongoing response to Hurricane Helene, which has killed at least 230 people and left more than 100,000 North Carolina residents without electricity. Former President Donald Trump and other Republicans continue to question FEMA’s response and falsely claim that its funding is going to migrants or foreign wars.

With regard to claims that FEMA does not have enough funding to assist those impacted, the agency notes it has adequate funds for immediate response and recovery needs.

Lastly, FEMA also notes that claims that disaster response funds were diverted to support international efforts or border-related issues are also false.

The Advocate: Republican opponent attacks out Sen. Tammy Baldwin by lying about her support of gender-affirming care

Out U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin’s Republican challenger and a GOP super PAC are attacking her on the issue of gender-affirming care, falsely claiming she supports “sex change surgeries” for minors.

“Not only does his phrase ‘transgender clinic’ misconstrue the organization’s overall mission, law prohibits Wisconsin minors from getting medical treatment without a parent or guardian’s signature.”

The money Baldwin earmarked for Briarpatch is supporting “counseling for youth experiencing homelessness and other hardships,” a Baldwin spokesperson confirmed to PolitiFact.

Wisconsin Independent: Fact check: What Eric Hovde gets wrong about the Affordable Care Act

Millionaire banker and real estate developer Eric Hovde made his opposition to the Affordable Care Act a centerpiece of his unsuccessful 2012 campaign for the Wisconsin Republican U.S. Senate nomination. Twelve years later, he is repeating the same strategy as he seeks his party’s nomination again to challenge Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin.

Hovde’s campaign website criticizes the ACA, commonly known as Obamacare, claiming it’s made the system of health care in the country worse since it was enacted in 2010. But the claims he makes aren’t accurate, and in some cases don’t relate to the ACA at all, according to a fact check by the Wisconsin Independent and analyses by two independent experts.

Heartland Signal: Eric Hovde falsely says the morning-after pill is abortion, then compared it to narcotics

At a luncheon Wednesday, Wisconsin Republican Senate nominee Eric Hovde falsely claimed that most abortions are conducted using the morning-after pill. Plan B doesn’t cause abortions, as it does not terminate a pregnancy. 

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), an emergency contraceptive like the morning-after pill “prevents pregnancy by acting on ovulation, which occurs well before implantation.” This is vastly different from a medication abortion, more commonly known as the “abortion pill,” which is offered during the first 11 weeks of pregnancy at Planned Parenthood.

Photo taken in 2023 when Senator Baldwin visited rural counties, including Walworth County.