As the NCAA basketball tournament unfolds, Republican businessman Eric Hovde, who is running for U.S. Senate in Wisconsin, has made a bold prediction by choosing Purdue, a team from Indiana, to win it all. This decision has raised eyebrows as it is not common for politicians to pick a team from outside their home state to go all the way in the tournament. Hovde, who is an alum of the University of Wisconsin, made his prediction on X, formerly Twitter, and even posted a picture of himself wearing a UW pullover. Despite his allegiance to Wisconsin, Hovde believes that Purdue is the strongest team and will come out on top in Phoenix.
In the midst of the Senate race against Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin, Democrats have been quick to criticize Hovde for his choice of Purdue as the tournament winner. While Hovde was born and raised in Wisconsin, he also has ties to California, where he owns a $7 million mansion and serves as the CEO of a California-based company. This has led opponents to paint him as out of touch with the people of Wisconsin. In an attempt to prove his Wisconsin roots, Hovde previously challenged Baldwin to a shirtless swim in a Madison lake, a challenge that she declined.
Despite the criticism, Hovde remains confident in his pick of Purdue and stands by his decision as a basketball fan rather than a politician pandering to the masses. On the other hand, Baldwin has chosen to stick with her home state teams, the Badgers and Marquette, in her tournament bracket. While she has not shared her bracket publicly, her campaign spokesperson expressed her support for the Wisconsin teams and her belief in their ability to make it all the way to the championship game. This clash of predictions between Hovde and Baldwin adds an interesting dynamic to their already heated Senate race.
Hovde’s spokesperson, Ben Voelkel, defended the decision to choose Purdue by highlighting the team’s strong performance in the Big Ten Tournament, where they were defeated by Wisconsin. Voelkel emphasized that Hovde is not a typical politician who panders to public opinion, but rather a genuine basketball fan who believes in Purdue’s capabilities. Meanwhile, Baldwin’s campaign remains steadfast in their support for the home state teams, viewing them as representatives of the people of Wisconsin. As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on Hovde’s bold prediction and its potential impact on the Senate race in Wisconsin.
While the NCAA tournament is a time for fans to rally behind their favorite teams, it has also become a platform for politicians to showcase their allegiance to their home states. In the case of Eric Hovde and Tammy Baldwin, their contrasting picks for the tournament winner reflect their differing approaches to politics and public perception. As the competition heats up both on the basketball court and in the political arena, the outcome of the tournament and the Senate race will undoubtedly be closely watched by the people of Wisconsin. The clash of predictions between the candidates adds a new dimension to their battle for the Senate seat and highlights the intersection of sports and politics in the state.
