The Republican U.S. Senate candidate Eric Hovde’s wife, Sharon Hovde, has taken a central role in his campaign, particularly in attacking Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin. In a television ad released, Sharon Hovde directly addresses Baldwin’s criticism of Eric Hovde’s past comments about single mothers. The race between Baldwin and Hovde, a millionaire businessman, is closely watched, with a Baldwin win in battleground Wisconsin seen as crucial for Democrats to maintain control of the Senate. Hovde’s campaign has taken a more personal turn this week, with ads featuring Sharon Hovde discussing his charity work and battle with multiple sclerosis.
In 2012, Eric Hovde made controversial comments about single mothers, stating that being a single mother leads to poverty, higher drug rates, and other negative outcomes. These comments resurfaced in a Baldwin campaign ad earlier this month, featuring the children of single parents criticizing Hovde’s remarks. In response, Sharon Hovde does not dispute her husband’s comments but instead focuses on attacking Baldwin for her campaign tactics. Sharon reveals that she was a single mother when she met Eric and highlights the challenges she faced in affording child care.
Sharon Hovde met Eric Hovde when she was separated from her first husband, and at that time, her daughter was 3 years old. The couple also has a daughter together. Baldwin’s campaign defended their attack ad on Hovde, with spokesperson Andrew Mamo stating that Hovde’s words speak for themselves and that Wisconsinites deserve a senator who respects them. The use of Sharon Hovde in attacking Baldwin is a rare strategy, as it is uncommon for a candidate’s spouse to play such a prominent role in messaging. According to Kelly Dittmar from Rutgers University, spouses are typically used in messaging to address weaknesses or criticisms of the candidate.
Dittmar also notes that male candidates running against female opponents often rely on the women in their lives to make attacks against their female opponents. By having these attacks come from another woman, male candidates can sidestep criticism about a man directly attacking a woman. The strategy of using a candidate’s spouse in campaign messaging is seen as a way to appeal to a wider audience and deflect criticism. With the Senate race in Wisconsin heating up, both sides are using all available tactics to sway voters and secure victory. Sharon Hovde’s direct involvement in her husband’s campaign adds a personal touch and may resonate with voters as they head to the polls.
