As the race between Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin and her Republican challenger Eric Hovde tightens, the Hovde campaign and outside groups supporting the candidate have stepped up efforts to tie Baldwin to funding for LGBTQ+ youth care — following suit the concerns and prejudices of the right-wing ‘parents’. rights” movement.
According to the nonpartisan campaign analysis group Cook Political Report, the race between Hovde and Baldwin — in which Baldwin previously had a wide lead — is now a long shot. Internal polling reportedly reflects this trend. The race in Wisconsin is one of a few that could determine control of the Senate next year.
Related: The race in Wisconsin that could tilt the Democratic majority in the US Senate
A recent ad from the Senate Leadership Fund, a super Pac seeking to elect Republicans to the Senate, claims that “Baldwin supported providing puberty blockers and gender reassignment surgery to minors.” Another ad, from the Hovde campaign, claims that Baldwin “ensured hundreds of thousands of our tax dollars going to a nonprofit in Madison that pushes an aggressive LGBTQ agenda on children.”
The first ad, which claims Baldwin pledged support for “gender reassignment surgery” for minors on October 4, 2023, appears to reference a post Baldwin made on that date in support of Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers’ decision to to veto a Republican Party. supported a bill that would have banned gender-affirming care for minors in Wisconsin.
Baldwin’s full message reads: “Trans children deserve to feel safe and welcome in Wisconsin, and not be discriminated against. They deserve the freedom to just be kids, play sports, and get the health care they need, all without the interference of politicians. Thank you for standing up for LGBTQ+ kids, @GovEvers.”
Research consistently shows that gender-affirming health care, including puberty blockers and hormone replacement therapy, can be lifesaving for young people experiencing gender dysphoria – a condition experienced by many transgender people that is associated with depression and even suicide. In Wisconsin, health care providers who offer gender-affirming care to minors do so only with parental consent and do not perform genital surgeries on minors.
The second ad, which claims she helped fund a nonprofit that promotes an “aggressive LGBTQ agenda,” references federal dollars Baldwin has set aside for Briarpatch Youth Services, an organization that supports at-risk and homeless youth – and offers a program for LGBTQ+ youth.
On a September episode of the Vicki McKenna Show, a right-wing radio program in Wisconsin, Hovde falsely claimed that Baldwin had given taxpayer money “to a transgender clinic,” apparently in reference to her Briarpatch donation.
“Briarpatch Youth Services addresses some of the most difficult situations youth face, including youth homelessness,” Jill Pfieffer, executive director of Briarpatch, wrote in an email. “Regardless of the political talking points, we remain focused on strengthening our community by ensuring that youth facing hardship have access to the voluntary resources and services they need to thrive and succeed.”
Although the number of transgender people in the United States has not changed significantly over time, with approximately 1% of youth between the ages of 13 and 17 identifying as transgender, the minority group has faced increasing criticism and attacks in recent years received. The anti-trans sentiment is in line with the rise of the so-called ‘parental rights movement’, which wants to limit discussions about issues such as race, gender and sexuality in the classroom.
In a statement, Hovde campaign spokesman Zach Bannon wrote that Hovde “believes that any attempt to force conversations about sexuality and gender identity on children without parental knowledge is simply wrong and that taxpayer dollars should not support these programs,” referring to the confidential support from Briarpatch. group for LGBTQ youth.
This year, Democrats, who closely control the Senate, face an unfavorable situation: incumbent senators in West Virginia, Ohio and Montana, among others, defending seats in deep-red jurisdictions. The race in Wisconsin, which has narrowed in recent weeks, is a crucial piece of the puzzle.
Wisconsin Democratic Party Rapid Response Director Arik Wolk called the ads “a quite desperate and disgusting attack designed primarily to denigrate Eric Hovde’s record and his unpopularity with the people of Wisconsin.” . Wolk also pointed to a Hovde ad that draws attention to Baldwin’s partner Maria Brisbane’s work as a financial advisor and claims that Baldwin is “in bed with Wall Street” as an example of the Hovde campaign highlighting Baldwin’s identity as a gay woman . “Wisconsinites have made it clear that they support Tammy Baldwin regardless of her sexual identity,” Wolk said.
Bannon, Hovde’s campaign spokesman, disputed this characterization in a statement, calling it an “attempt to distract from the facts of this conflict of interest” and “a disservice to the people of Wisconsin who deserve transparency.”
