On the ballot on November 5, 2024 are candidates for U.S. Senate from Wisconsin, as well as number of other statewide offices. Democratic incumbent Sen. Tammy Baldwin will face off against the winner of the August 13 Republican primary race. Leading GOP candidate Eric Hovde is a real estate mogul and bank CEO.
GLAAD is urging media covering this Senate election to include accurate information and context to explain the candidates’ records and proposals on the critical issues impacting LGBTQ people in Wisconsin and nationwide.
Baldwin has served in elected office on the county, state, and federal level, becoming the first female U.S. representative from Wisconsin and first out lesbian elected to the U.S. Senate. This is Hovde’s second attempt at his first elected office. He has business interests and was born in Wisconsin, and his primary residence is in Orange County, California.
“The differences between Senator Tammy Baldwin and candidate Eric Hovde are stark, and the stakes of this election are incredibly high” said Abigail Swetz, executive director of Fair Wisconsin. “It is imperative that we see the full picture of each candidate’s views so that we can see which candidate will lead with a pro-equality agenda.”
Eric Hovde’s LGBTQ record includes:
- Delivered remarks at the Log Cabin Republicans Big Tent Event, during the 2024 Republican National Convention (RNC) in Milwaukee. Hovde reiterated many of the same anti-transgender talking points put forward by RNC speakers, noting that he believes: “Men shouldn’t be playing girls sports — period.”
- Answered questions from “Gays Against Groomers,” an extremist organization that uses false and harmful language to demonize transgender people and their allies. Said Hovde, “I do not agree with men competing in female sports. … To think that we’re gonna allow males to go into female bathrooms, I think it’s fundamentally wrong.” At another event, Hovde said, “We don’t allow our children to drive an automobile until they’re 16. … We don’t allow our young people to vote until 18. We don’t allow our young people to drink alcohol until 21. And yet we’re allowing children 11, 12, 13 … to be transgender. Do you realize the highest rate of suicide in our country today are young people that went through a transgender? [sic]” However, The Trevor Project’s 2023 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ Young People shows that LGBTQ youth who are threatened or subjected to conversion therapy are more likely to commit suicide.
- Used staffers from his real estate company, without disclosure, in a campaign ad. In the video, staffers complained that “progressive lefties are really messing up our country with their crazy ideas,” like “letting boys play in girls’ sports.”
- Restoration PAC, is a financial supporter of Hovde’s campaign and extremist anti-LGBTQ groups. Restoration PAC “is funded by megadonor Richard Uihlein,” owner of ULINE packaging, and his wife.
- Attacked incumbent Sen. Tammy Baldwin on her efforts to secure federal funding aimed at providing counseling services for homeless youth. “She actually earmarked, in the last budget, $400,000 for a transgender-affirming clinic that doesn’t even tell parents that they’re doing that, with their own kids,” said Hovde. “Now think of that, I mean, this is how far out there she is.” Baldwin’s office previously noted this is not the case, and that the earmarked $400,000 “can only be used for mental health services and counseling for kids experiencing homelessness.”
- Spoke alongside Scarlett Johnson, founder of Moms for Liberty’s Ozaukee chapter, at a 2023 “Pints & Politics” event. Johnson has used her social media platforms and speaking appearances to call for book bans and paint the LGBTQ community in a negative light. A lawsuit was filed against Johnson in May, after she criticized a school for hiring a social justice coordinator.
- Endorsed and provided funding for Leah Vukmir, who challenged Sen. Tammy Baldwin’s seat in the U.S. Senate in 2018. Vukmir had “a history of trying to dismantle gay rights including through sponsoring a constitutional amendment against same-sex marriage and civil unions.”
- Labeled the Madison Metropolitan School District a “train wreck” while disparaging gender-neutral bathrooms. “We got to such an absurd level at the end of Obama’s presidency that the big issue was transsexual bathrooms, what?” he said. “You are talking less than .4% of the public, and you’re talking about forcing every municipality and school district to create a unisex bathroom.”
- Described marriage as “between a man and a woman.” In a 2012 interview, Hovde said, “if you look at the history of marriage, it comes from the church, and I don’t think it’s the government’s position to come in and impose upon religion and tell them how they should believe or what they have to accept. I mean, that’s our First Amendment. It’s freedom of religion, it’s not freedom from religion, it’s freedom of religion. So, when people get married, they’ve always, through history, in front of God in a church. That is the church right to dictate and decide on what they feel is acceptable. So, I believe that marriage is between a man and a woman. And saying that, I don’t believe in discriminating against anyone, whether you’re gay or whatever. I don’t believe in any form of discrimination. But I do fundamentally marriage is between a man and a woman.”
Tammy Baldwin’s LGBTQ record includes:
- Endorsed by the Fair Wisconsin Political Action Committee, Human Rights Campaign, and the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund. Said Fair Wisconsin, “Throughout her career, Tammy has been a tireless champion for all of Wisconsin’s families, from leading the charge to pass the Respect for Marriage Act that codified same-sex and interracial marriage to cosponsoring the Women’s Health Protection Act that would allow women to make their own healthcare decisions.”
- Joined Sen. Tim Kaine (D – Virginia) in introducing a resolution acknowledging “the mistreatment and wrongful terminations of LGBTQ+ civil servants, foreign service officers, and service members” since 1949. “Anyone who serves our country, whether they are in uniform or a civil servant, deserves to be treated with respect, fairness, and dignity, regardless of who they are or who they love,” Baldwin said.
- Marked National Coming Out Day (Oct. 11) by sharing her pride in serving “as the first openly gay Senator in our nation’s history.” Baldwin also cautioned, “We need to stand up to those who are hellbent on rolling back our progress.”
- Co-sponsored the Pride in Mental Health Act, which would bolster mental health and crisis intervention resources available to LGBTQ youth. According to LGBTQ Nation, “the bill would award grants for mental health services to eligible organizations to assess and improve mental health and substance use outcomes for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, nonbinary, intersex, and Two Spirit youth.”
- Co-sponsored the Equality Act (reintroduced in 2023), aimed at protecting LGBTQ people from discrimination in education, federal funding, and housing, among others.
- Co-sponsored the Respect for Marriage Act in the U.S. Senate. The Act added legal protections for marriage equality and repealed the Defense of Marriage Act, and was signed into law by President Joe Biden in December 2022.
- Voiced opposition to anti-LGBTQ bills banning transgender women and girls from sports teams that match their gender identity. Responding to Gov. Tony Evers’ support of transgender kids, Baldwin said, “Trans kids deserve to feel safe and welcome in Wisconsin, not discriminated against. They deserve the freedom to just be kids, play sports, and get the health care they need, all without politicians butting in.”
- Condemned the Supreme Court’s decision to side with a graphic artist seeking to decline same-sex couples who request her wedding website development services.
- Praised the FDA’s decision to update their discriminatory policies affecting the ability for gay and bi men to donate blood, and, along with several Democratic and Independent members of congress, called on the Department of Health and Human Services and FDA to update their discriminatory policies in wake of a national blood crisis.
- Joined 117 Democratic and Independent members of Congress in calling for President Biden to provide adequate funding for global LGBTQ rights.
- Appeared on ABC News’ Pride Speaker Series in 2019 to discuss LGBTQ rights in Wisconsin. “I will say there’s some surprises from Wisconsin, especially as it affects the LGBTQ community,” said Sen. Baldwin. “Would you believe to enact a law protecting gay and lesbian people from discrimination in employment, housing, education, and accommodations in 1982 … and that it was signed by a republican governor?” The law Sen. Baldwin alluded to, Assembly Bill 70, earned Wisconsin the distinction of becoming the nation’s “first Gay Rights State.”
- Became the first openly LGBTQ person elected to the U.S. Senate (2012), and the first woman from Wisconsin elected to the U.S. Senate.
Best Practices for Campaign Reporters:
- Stories about or that mention LGBTQ people should include LGBTQ voices.
- In stories specifically about transgender people, seek and include a transgender person.
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- Prioritize facts, expertise and LGBTQ lived experience over candidate and campaign opinion in your reporting. If a candidate remarks about LGBTQ people, always include facts and context. For example, any discussion of transgender health care must note this care is supported by every major medical association (30+ statements here).
- Review and report a candidate’s LGBTQ record and support from anti-LGBTQ groups. Ongoing documentation is available on candidates, other public figures, and groups via the GLAAD Accountability Project.
- Avoid shorthand descriptions of political conversations about LGBTQ people as a “culture war.” This dehumanizes marginalized people as a “side” and allows politicians to escape accountability for creating and fueling the “war.” Descriptors like this add to voter apathy. Focus reporting on the policies, the people directly harmed, and the candidates proposing them and their LGBTQ history.
- Be factual and clear in your language: “(candidate name) has proposed policies restricting health care for transgender people, despite the fact this care is supported by every major medical association.”
- Do not repeat, or clearly state as false, “groomer” rhetoric. Experts in child abuse prevention have raised alarms that this rhetoric undermines understanding of actual child abuse and endangers innocent people and children.
- Include greater context: 500+ anti-LGBTQ bills were proposed in state legislatures through 2023. This is a broad scale, coordinated attack against LGBTQ Americans’ growing visibility and acceptance, via targeting health care, book bans, curriculum and conversation bans, sports bans, and bathroom bans. Inform your readers and viewers about this larger pattern of LGBTQ animus as you report on issues and candidates supporting them. Note also how health care and drag ban bills have been blocked in multiple states and district courts as unconstitutional and discriminatory, and how voters in Wisconsin and across the country have rejected so-called “parents’ rights” groups that push book bans and discriminatory policies against LGBTQ students, families, and teachers.
- In Wisconsin’s most recent legislative session, at least 26 anti-LGBTQ bills were introduced, including an attempt to ban health care for transgender youth and restrictions on transgender participation in sports in high school and college; and more than 100 Wisconsin school districts – one in four – faced pressure to ban books. Despite extremist national groups pushing the bills forward and perpetuating disinformation about LGBTQ people and issues, the bills were defeated and none of them became law.
- Voters across the country, including in Wisconsin, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Iowa, and other battleground states, soundly rejected anti-LGBTQ extremist candidates and groups like Moms for Liberty in high-profile school board races in the most recent elections, who sought to ban books and conversations about LGBTQ people and issues. In Wisconsin last spring, Moms for Liberty were defeated in 20 of the 28 school board elections they endorsed.
- Overall, 76% of Americans and 79% of Wisconsinites support LGBTQ nondiscrimination protections in the most recent polls by Public Religion Research Institute.
- Report connections between anti-LGBTQ incidents, rhetoric and extremism: In addition to the dramatic rise of anti-LGBTQ legislation, at least 700 attacks against LGBTQ people were documented through 2023, including murders, assault, harassment, and vandalism, with increasing connections of anti-LGBTQ violence by people from extremist groups like Oath Keepers, Patriot Front, and Proud Boys. Anti-LGBTQ posts on extremist media, further amplified on extremist cable programs, have been followed by bomb threats against children’s hospitals, libraries and schools, endangering and inconveniencing all students, families and residents in these communities.
- In Wisconsin this past March, multiple bomb threats were made at a middle school located just 20 miles from where the Republican National Convention was hosted. The threats followed online posts by the anti-LGBTQ extremist Libs of TikTok targeting and harassing a gay staff member at the school.
- Report connections between anti-LGBTQ extremism and other extremism: states proposing bills targeting mainstream health care for transgender people have also enacted and proposed the most restrictive bans on abortion (including Florida), and denied and denigrated fair elections. Lawmakers in Nebraska passed a bill both banning health care for transgender youth and abortion after 12 weeks. Texas lawmakers proposed more than 140 anti-LGBTQ bills last year as it also targeted women and health care providers over reproductive care and enforced draconian laws.
- Report connections between anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and policies and mental health challenges for LGBTQ people, specifically LGBTQ youth:
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- LGBTQ youth report significantly more mental health challenges than their cisgender and straight peers in Wisconsin and nationally, according to the CDC, with trans and nonbinary youth reporting the most severe challenges in their mental health and the most barriers to seeking help. Surveys and interviews with LGBTQ youth indicate that hateful rhetoric and anti-LGBTQ policies directly negatively impact their mental health, both in Wisconsin and nationally.
- Research shows that only 66% of Wisconsin’s transgender youth reported feeling safe at school; and transgender students were more than times likely than cisgender students to report they have been bullied at school.
- Recent research published in late 2022 also shows that more Wisconsin youth were considering suicide than ever since 2003. This same research shows the LGBTQ youth who were surveyed had far higher rates of considering and attempting suicide than their non-LGBTQ peers.
- LGBTQ youth report significantly more mental health challenges than their cisgender and straight peers in Wisconsin and nationally, according to the CDC, with trans and nonbinary youth reporting the most severe challenges in their mental health and the most barriers to seeking help. Surveys and interviews with LGBTQ youth indicate that hateful rhetoric and anti-LGBTQ policies directly negatively impact their mental health, both in Wisconsin and nationally.
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Additional resources:
- GALLUP: 6% of U.S. adults are out as LGBTQ, including 20% of Gen Z, the most out generation in history.
- GALLUP: 69% of Americans support marriage equality including a majority of Republicans.
- GLAAD: 84% support equal rights for LGBTQ people.
- GLAAD: 94% of LGBTQ registered voters will vote in the general election in November.
- GLAAD: In a generic congressional candidate matchup, LGBTQ likely voters prefer Democratic candidates to Republicans 79% to 12%.
- GLAAD Media Reference Guide: terminology and 20+ topic areas to learn about and accurately report on LGBTQ people
About GLAAD: GLAAD rewrites the script for LGBTQ acceptance. As a dynamic media force, GLAAD tackles tough issues to shape the narrative and provoke dialogue that leads to cultural change. GLAAD protects all that has been accomplished and creates a world where everyone can live the life they love. For more information, please visit www.glaad.org or connect with GLAAD on Facebook and Twitter.
About Fair Wisconsin: Founded in 1994, Fair Wisconsin is Wisconsin’s only statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights and political advocacy organization. Fair Wisconsin works to achieve, advance, and protect LGBTQ+ equality through grassroots organizing, education, legislative advocacy, and strategic electoral involvement.