Eric Hovde
| Eric Hovde | |
|---|---|
 File:Eric Hovde.jpg Hovde in 2012 | |
| Born | 1964 (Aged 59-60) Madison, Wisconsin |
| 🏫 Education | Madison East High School |
| 🎓 Alma mater | University of Wisconsin-Madison |
| 💼 Occupation | Businessman and banking executive |
| 📆 Years active | 1994-present |
| 🏛️ Political party | Republican |
| 👩 Spouse(s) | Sharon Hovde |
| 👶 Children | 2 |
| 👴 👵 Parent(s) |
|
| 👪 Relatives | Ingvald “Inky” Hovde (Grandfather) |
Eric Hovde is an American businessman and banking executive. As a political candidate in Wisconsin, he mounted an unsuccessful primary campaign in 2012 and is seeking the Republican nomination to run in the 2024 United States Senate election in Wisconsin.
Early life and education
Hovde was born in Madison, Wisconsin in 1964 and raised in the nearby town of Maple Bluff.[1] He attended Madison East High School and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he studied Economics and International Relations.[2]
Business career
After college, Hovde moved to Washington D.C. due to his father's roles in the Reagan Administration. After spending 24 years in Washington D.C., Hovde moved back to Wisconsin in 2011, months before he announced his senatorial campaign.[3]
In 1994, Hovde started his own hedge fund, and he later went on to purchase a number of banks. Hovde currently serves as CEO for Hovde Properties, LLC. in Madison. He donated to the campaign of Democrat Jim Doyle in 2002.[3] He is CEO of Sunwest Bank.[4]
Campaigns
2012
On March 8, 2012, Hovde announced his candidacy for Wisconsin’s open U.S. Senate seat which was vacated by Incumbent Democratic Senator, Herb Kohl. He faced a four-way primary versus four-term governor and former Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson, former Congressman Mark Neumann, and then-Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald. Hovde ran his campaign on many traditionally conservative platforms, including a balanced budget, a limited Federal Reserve, a deregulated economy, and lower taxes.[5]
He generated controversy over remarks made on June 15, 2012 at the Brookfield Chamber of Commerce where Hovde suggested that he was tired of newspaper coverage of people suffering and impoverished by the recession, and would rather see coverage of national issues, such as the deficit.[5] His campaign was largely self-funded, with some significant contributions from conservative groups such as Freedomworks.[citation needed]
However Hovde lost the primary on August 14, 2012 to Tommy Thompson. Hovde came in second with 31% of the vote compared to Thompson's 34%.
2018
Hovde was considered a potential candidate in 2018 against Tammy Baldwin, but he ultimately decided against running and endorsed Republican Leah Vukmir.[6][7]
2022
Hovde briefly considered a run for Governor of Wisconsin in 2022, but declined to enter the race.[8]
2024
On February 20, 2024, Hovde announced his candidacy for the 2024 United States Senate election against incumbent Democrat Tammy Baldwin.[9] He generally suffers from low name recognition, as Marquette University Law School poll in January 2024 found that more than eight in 10 registered voters in Wisconsin didn't know enough about Hovde to form an opinion of him.[9] The Democratic Party of Wisconsin has mainly attacked Hovde's residence in California and his ownership of several banks.[10][11]
National Republican Senate Committee Chair Steve Daines was quoted as saying, "[Hovde's] experience as a job creator rather than a career politician makes him a strong candidate to flip Wisconsin's Senate seat this year."[8] As part of his campaign, Hovde has pledged to donate his Senate salary if elected to several Wisconsin-based charities.[12] Controversially, Hovde called for heavy restrictions on the sale of alcohol in Wisconsin, a state known for its beer and drinking culture.[13]
Policy positions
Abortion
In 2012, Hovde stated that he supported a nationwide abortion ban but has not commented on the issue in 2024.[4][14] However, he supports Contraceptives.[14]
Alcohol Sale
In 2017, Hovde criticized alcohol sales, saying booze should only be available to people who brew or distill it themselves.[13]
Bipartisanship
In his 2024 Senate announcement, Hovde stated that he supports a bi-partisan solution to the United States Border Crisis and equated politics with business and claimed that he would "work with anybody to try to advance the country and this state’s interests.”[4]
Healthcare
Hovde campaigned as a supporter of overturning the Affordable Care Act in his 2012 senatorial campaign.[4]
Ideology
Hovde described himself as a Libertarian and free-market conservative in his 2012 senate campaign, and is a Conservative in 2024.[4] Mark Neumann attacked Hovde for being "too liberal" in 2012.[15]
Presidency of Joe Biden
Hovde is a critic of President Joe Biden and has expressed disappointment in both his administration's withdrawal from Afghanistan and policy over the national debt.[16]
Marijuana
Hovde has spoken in favor of decriminalizing marijuana.[17] At a 2017 event, he said he believed that marijuana should be available to those who grow it, similar to his stance on alcohol.[17]
Personal life
Hovde is of Norwegian descent and his father immigrated from Norway to the United States as a child.[2] He and his wife reside in Shorewood Hills, Wisconsin and own a $7,000,000 dollar mansion in Laguna Beach, California where he has lived on-and-off between the two properties.[2][18] He is also known to practice Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and suffers from Multiple Sclerosis.[3]
His father, Donald Hovde, served as Undersecretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for President Ronald Reagan and served as President of the National Association of Realtors for a brief period in 1979.[19] In addition, Donald Hovde also served as a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank Board from 1983 until 1985 and founded Hovde Realty, Inc.[20] Hovde's great-grandfather Ingvald “Inky” Hovde founded Hovde Properties in 1933, which is now co-owned by Eric and his brother Steve.[8]
As of 2012, Hovde’s net worth was at least $52 million.[12]
Awards
Hovde was named as one of Orange County, California's most influential people in 2018, 2019, and 2021.[9][21]
External links
- "Eric Hovde". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
References
- ↑ "Vote Smart | Eric Hovde". Vote Smart. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Eric Hovde Bio: Senate Candidate Has Deep Roots In Wisconsin, 'Is 3rd Generation Wisconsinite'". 2024-02-24. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "U.S. Senate candidate profile: Political newcomer Eric Hovde". FOX 6 Now Milwaukee. 2012-08-07. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 "Republican Eric Hovde seeks to unseat Democrat Baldwin in Wisconsin race for US Senate". AP News. 2024-02-20. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "GOP Candidate Tells Press To Stop Writing 'Sob Stories' About Poor People". HuffPost. 2012-06-18. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
- ↑ Glauber, Bill. "Eric Hovde remains undecided on 2018 U.S. Senate run in GOP primary". Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
- ↑ "Republican Eric Hovde Won't Enter Race For US Senate". WPR. 2018-04-09. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 "Businessman Eric Hovde enters U.S. Senate race, setting up Wisconsin contest against Tammy Baldwin". Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 "Republican Eric Hovde officially enters Wisconsin Senate race against Tammy Baldwin". NBC News. 2024-02-20. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
- ↑ "Hovde was in California the day Steve Daines announced Senate Campaign". Wisconsin Dems. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
- ↑ "Eric Hovde in His Own Words: "My Main Business" Is the California Bank I Own". Wisconsin Dems. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Irwin, Lauren (2024-03-15). "Hovde pledges to donate Senate salary if he wins in Wisconsin". The Hill. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Stuart, Tessa (2024-03-13). "GOP Senate Candidate Took Bold Stance Against the Sale of Alcohol … in Wisconsin". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Abortion". American Bridge 21st Century: Repro Files. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
- ↑ Kertscher, Tom. "Fellow GOP Senate candidate Eric Hovde backed billions for rail, banks, Mark Neumann says". @politifact. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
- ↑ Conniff, Ruth (2024-02-21). "Eric Hovde's weirdly lackluster Senate bid • Wisconsin Examiner". Wisconsin Examiner. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Rosciglione, Annabella (2024-03-13). "Wisconsin GOP Senate candidate suggested banning alcohol sales in state known for its booze: Report - Washington Examiner". Retrieved 2024-03-16.
- ↑ "Senate Candidate Eric Hovde owns a 7 Million Dollar California Home". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
- ↑ "Nomination of Donald I. Hovde To Be Under Secretary of Housing and Urban Development | The American Presidency Project". www.presidency.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
- ↑ "Nomination of Donald I. Hovde To Be a Member of the Federal Home Loan Bank Board". Ronald Reagan Library. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
- ↑ "Eric Hovde". Orange County Business Journal. 2018-01-03. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
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