2024 Wisconsin Senate Voters Guide
Tammy Baldwin (D) vs Eric Hovde (R)
The Candidates
Legal. “I am pro-choice.… Women should decide.” Sponsored the 2023 Women’s Health Protection Act to ensure national access to abortion; would ban state restrictions earlier in pregnancy—and later if the mother’s health is at risk.
Mostly ban. In 2012 “totally opposed” legalized abortion. Supported overturning Roe v. Wade. Now supports a statewide referendum on abortion ban after 3 months. “That’s more than enough reasonable time for a woman to make a choice.” (The Wisconsin constitution bars referendums.)
No. His campaign website doesn’t mention climate. The push to end fossil fuel use before the next half-century is “delusional.” To think you’re “going to move an economy of this size… from its existing energy sources in… a decade, you are smoking crack.”
“Wisconsinites deserve to be safe in their communities.” Secured funding for law enforcement for training, transparency, and accountability. Worked to ensure first responders can give overdose reversal drugs. Sponsored the FEND Off Fentanyl Act.
Opposes “defunding the police,” what he calls the “left’s dystopian vision.”
Increase. “Small businesses are the backbone of our economy.” Supports Buy American rules and fair-trade practices. Opposes “corporate mergers that … reduce competition.” Supported the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill.
Decrease. Calls for a private-sector-driven “pro-growth environment.” Criticizes recent growth in size of national debt. Says he has the business experience needed “to restore economic sanity.”
No. “We must do better at educating the next generation on the full history of our country.” Worked to protect students from bullying and harassment based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
Yes. “We’ve collapsed patriotism.” “We’ve told [students] their country is flawed and it’s wrong and it’s irredeemable. Are you kidding me? We live in the greatest country in the history of mankind.”
Yes. The election was “free and fair.” We have a “shared responsibility to safeguard our democracy.”
Mixed. Was the 2020 election stolen? “No. But did things happen in that election that were very troublesome? Absolutely.”
Tighten. Supported the Inflation Reduction Act to “preserve our way of life, economy, and wellbeing.” Called for community projects to clean up the Mississippi River. Worked to increase funding for Great Lakes restoration.
Loosen. Would roll back some environmental regulations to expand energy production and resource development.
Likely loosen. No current position found. In a 2012 campaign for US Senate: “I fully support the rights of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms, no exception.”
Increase. “No American should have to choose between basic necessities… and paying for the drugs they need.” Introduced the Capping Prescription Costs Act. Supports expanding Obamacare, Medicare, and Medicaid. Calls for addressing “racial disparities that exist in our nation’s health care system.”
Decrease. “Obamacare created monopolies and oligarchies and wiped out the family doctor.” Repeal it. It’s “stupid” to keep young adults on their parents’ insurance until age 26. Would continue protecting benefits for pre-existing conditions.
Backed the 2024 bipartisan border bill: “I voted to secure our border, support law enforcement, & stop the fentanyl from coming in.” Supports DACA Dreamers, “who have only known America as their home.”
“Biden… opened our southern border,” letting “criminals and terrorists” enter and “drug cartels to flood our streets with fentanyl.” Advocates stricter security measures. Called 2024 bipartisan border bill “a total joke.” No position found on DACA.
Easier. “Unions built the middle class.” Sponsored a bill to protect workers’ right to organize: “Wisconsin has a proud tradition of… giving workers a strong voice.”
No position found.
Expand. Sponsored the Equality Act, banning discrimination against LGBTQ people: “It is wrong that… LGBTQ+ people can be denied an apartment, cut from a job,… or face other forms of discrimination.” Brought 12 Senate Republicans on board to protect same-sex and interracial marriages.
Limit. Supports restrictions on gender-affirming treatments for minors and believes “men shouldn’t be playing [in] girls sports—period.”
Legal. Has “long supported decriminalization of marijuana.” Supports Biden’s move to reclassify marijuana. Sponsored a bill to protect state medical marijuana programs from federal interference.
Unclear. Agreed with a listener who called it a “gateway.” “I’m opposed to it as well.” It can be decriminalized but shouldn’t be commercialized. “I’m a libertarian in most cases—not when it comes to drugs.”
Yes. It “has the potential to provide significant relief to millions of borrowers.” Sponsored legislation in 2022 to provide student loan forgiveness to beginning farmers and ranchers.
Raise. “Hardworking Wisconsin families should not be paying more in taxes than the wealthiest Americans.” Calls for a fairer tax code and an end to loopholes that benefit “super wealthy” money managers.
Likely harder. Would “tighten up our voting process,… clean up our voting system.” Addressing voter fraud claims, said “Almost nobody in a nursing home,” is at a point in life to vote. But says the “elderly should absolutely vote.”
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