As the battle between Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Republican challenger Eric Hovde heats up, Hovde’s campaign and outside groups supporting the candidate are linking Baldwin to funding LGBTQ+ care for young people. This reflects the fears and prejudices of the Wisconsin state senator. the right-wing “parental rights” movement;
The race between Hovde and Baldwin, where Baldwin previously had a comfortable lead, is now a close contest, according to the nonpartisan election analysis group Cook Political Report. Internal opinion polls reportedly reflect that trend. The race in Wisconsin is one of a handful that could determine control of the Senate next year.
A recent ad by the Senate Leadership Fund, a superpac that aims to elect Republicans to the Senate, claims that “Baldwin supported providing puberty-blocking drugs and sex-reassignment surgery to underage children.” There is. Another ad by Hovde’s campaign claims that Baldwin “made sure hundreds of thousands of dollars in our tax dollars went to Madison nonprofits that promoted LGBTQ policies that were offensive to children.” There is.
The first ad claims Baldwin has pledged support for “gender reassignment surgery” for minors on October 4, 2023, prompting Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers to veto it for Republicans. It appears to be referring to a post Baldwin made that day in support of the decision. Sponsored a bill in Wisconsin that would ban gender-affirming care for minors.
Baldwin’s full post reads: “Transgender children have the right to feel safe and welcome, not discriminated against, in the state of Wisconsin. They have the right to just be kids and play sports without interference from politicians. Thank you @GovEvers for standing up for LGBTQ+ children.”
Research consistently shows that gender-affirming medical treatments, such as puberty blockers and hormone replacement therapy, can save the lives of young people experiencing gender dysphoria. Gender dysphoria is a condition that many transgender people experience and is associated with depression and even suicide. In Wisconsin, health care providers who provide gender-affirming care to minors only do so with parental consent and do not perform genital surgery on minors.
The second ad claims Baldwin helped fund nonprofits that promote an “offensive LGBTQ agenda,” supports at-risk homeless youth, and supports LGBTQ+ youth. He is referring to federal funds allocated to Briarpatch Youth Services, an organization that provides programming to the United States.
On a September episode of Wisconsin’s right-wing talk radio show, “The Vicki McKenna Show,” Hovde falsely claimed that Baldwin had donated taxpayer money “to a transgender clinic,” which apparently meant that she This seems to be a reference to the Briarpatch donation.
“Briarpatch Youth Services addresses some of the most difficult situations facing young people, including youth homelessness,” Briarpatch Executive Director Jill Pfeiffer wrote in an email. “Regardless of the political topic, we are committed to strengthening communities by ensuring that young people facing challenges have access to the independent resources and services they need to grow and succeed.” We will continue to focus on
Although the number of transgender people in the United States has not changed significantly over time, with about 1% of youth ages 13 to 17 identifying as transgender, the minority group has increased in recent years. facing increased scrutiny and attacks. Anti-trans sentiment coincides with the rise of the so-called “parental rights” movement, which seeks to limit discussion of issues such as race, gender and sexuality in classrooms.
Zach Bannon, a spokesperson for Hovde’s campaign, said in a statement that Hovde “any effort to force conversations about sexuality and gender identity on children without their parents’ knowledge is completely wrong and taxpayers should be I don’t think we should support such programs.” Briarpatch’s confidential support group for LGBTQ+ youth.
Democrats, who narrowly control the Senate this year, face a disadvantage as incumbent senators defend seats in deep red states such as West Virginia, Ohio and Montana. The Wisconsin race, which has become close in recent weeks, forms a key piece of the puzzle.
Arik Wolk, director of rapid response for the Wisconsin Democratic Party, called the ad “a pretty desperate and hateful attack primarily aimed at undermining Eric Hovde’s record and unpopularity with the people of Wisconsin.” said. Wolk also drew attention to Baldwin’s partner Maria Brisbane’s work as a financial advisor as an example of Hovde’s campaign that emphasized Baldwin’s identity as a gay woman, noting that Baldwin was “in bed with Wall Street.” He pointed to a Hovde advertisement that claims, “There is.” “The people of Wisconsin have made it clear that they support Tammy Baldwin, regardless of their sexual identity,” Wolk said.
Bannon, a spokesman for Hovde’s campaign, disputed this characterization in a statement, calling it “an attempt to distract from the fact of a conflict of interest” and “a disservice to the people of Wisconsin who deserve transparency.” said.
