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

MADISON, Wis. -- Wisconsin Republican Senate campaigner Eric Hovde has many times defended his self-professed deficiency of knowledge astir nan U.S. workplace measure successful nan campaign's closing days, aft first saying successful a debate that he is “not an expert” connected nan authorities that is captious to farmers successful nan authorities known arsenic America's Dairyland.

Hovde's comments complete nan past week came aft nan incumbent, Sen. Tammy Baldwin, secured nan endorsement of nan usually Republican-aligned Wisconsin Farm Bureau, making her nan first Democratic campaigner for a statewide agency to person it successful much than 20 years.

Both Hovde, who is backed by erstwhile President Donald Trump, and Baldwin opportunity the race is razor thin, pinch imaginable mostly power of nan Senate connected nan line. Democrats are defending 23 seats, while Republicans person conscionable 11 up for grabs this election.

Hovde was asked during nan race's only statement pinch Baldwin connected Oct. 18 astir nan workplace measure and he responded, “I'm not an master connected nan workplace measure because I'm not successful nan U.S. Senate.” Baldwin has utilized those comments successful integer and power ads attacking Hovde, touting her Farm Bureau endorsement and saying Hovde “doesn't springiness a damn astir farmers.”

In nan week since nan debate, Hovde hasn't backed down from his comment.

"Why successful God’s greenish Earth would I cognize each nan specifications successful a workplace measure erstwhile I’m not serving successful this Senate correct now?” he told reporters aft he voted Tuesday.

Hovde called disapproval of his statement reply “absurd.”

“I answered,” Hovde said. “I said nan rumor pinch nan cultivation measure is only astir 20% of it’s for farmers. I deliberation workplace bills request to get backmost to being for farmers, not large typical firm interests.”

In an quality Monday connected blimpish talk radio, Hovde criticized questions asked during nan statement that was organized by nan Wisconsin Broadcasters Association.

“I’m getting a mobility connected nan cultivation bill,” he said connected nan Vicki McKenna show. “Like I’m expected to person studied successful depth? But I did springiness nan answer, which is nan correct one. The cultivation measure is nary longer a measure astir farmers. They telephone it nan workplace bill, (but) only astir 25% of nan measure is for farmers. It’s each for large firm interests, nutrient stamps, everything else.”

He faulted nan statement sheet pinch asking him astir nan workplace measure and contamination from PFAS known arsenic “forever chemicals,” but not asking nan candidates much astir inflation, migration and crime.

During a Thursday run extremity successful Eau Claire, Hovde tried to put Baldwin connected nan spot and said that if she were asked astir what was successful nan workplace bill, “she wouldn't person a clue.”

“For anybody to deliberation that personification is going to cognize successful item everything successful nan workplace measure — which is conscionable a large drawback container successful spending — is insane,” nan Eau Claire Leader Telegram reported Hovde arsenic saying. "I deliberation nan workplace measure should get backmost to being for farmers.”

Baldwin, successful her consequence during nan debate, said nan measure needs to supply “certainty to Wisconsin farmers.”

“They request nan consistency that a workplace measure has,” she said. “But 1 of nan problems pinch nan workplace measure correct now is that nan House, controlled by Republicans, has written a measure that’s fundamentally eviscerated nutrition programs. Farmers support nutrition programs because it intends purchasing their goods.”

Congress passed nan past workplace measure successful 2018. It was group to expire adjacent nan extremity of 2023, but Congress extended it for different twelvemonth aft Republicans and Democrats could not agree connected reauthorization.