‘A devastatingly bad response;’ ‘Hovde has faltered. Massively.’

MADISON, Wis. — After Eric Hovde lost the Senate debate and had what the press called “the worst moment” of the debate, and Tammy Baldwin launched a new digital ad featuring that moment where Eric Hovde said he doesn’t know the Farm Bill, a new op-ed from John Nichols in the Cap Times, highlighted Hovde’s flub.

Hovde doubled down on his ignorance of the Farm Bill yesterday in a whiny screed with Vicki McKenna, telling her “I’m supposed to have studied [the Farm Bill]?”

See key points below:

Cap Times: Opinion | Eric Hovde just isn’t that into rural Wisconsin

By: John Nichols

Hovde, a multi-millionaire who for many years has maintained a posh residence in Laguna Beach, California, has kept the race close by spending lavishly from his own fortune and surfing a wave of funding from political action committees that are aligned with billionaire campaign donors, corporate interests and outgoing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky.

But as the Wisconsin race enters its final two weeks, Hovde has stumbled badly on an issue that matters more in Wisconsin than most states: farm policy.

But when it came to farm and rural issues, the Republican was caught flat-footed. Asked about the stalled federal farm bill — a definitional measure for agricultural and food policy, rural development and hunger programs — Hovde effectively acknowledged that he hadn’t bothered to consider the measure.

“I’m not an expert on the farm bill because I’m not in the U.S. Senate at this point in time,” Hovde mumbled. “So, I can’t opine specifically on all aspects of the farm bill.”

That was a devastatingly bad response for a candidate who has already faced widespread criticism as a candidate who — though he was born in the state — stands accused of returning to Wisconsin primarily to forge a political career. On top of the general suggestion that Hovde is ill-prepared to represent Wisconsin, it reinforced concerns about past statements from the candidate that were widely interpreted as having disparaged farmers.

Baldwin saw her opening and she seized it, explaining the nuances of the debate about the farm bill, her decades-long commitment to rural Wisconsin and the prospect that Hovde’s proposals for budget cuts could gut federal support for the Department of Agriculture. She also noted that she has received the endorsement of Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation — a group that historically has backed Republicans in key statewide races.

The exchange was a profound one. Dan Bice, a veteran columnist for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, called Hovde’s acknowledgment of his farm-bill ignorance the “worst moment” of the debate.

Could that worst moment translate into political trouble for the Republican? Absolutely.

Wisconsin produces more specialty cheeses than any other state in the country. With roughly 5,500 dairy farms — and more than 1.2 million cows — Wisconsin farmers, coops and cheese factories are responsible for more than 600 types, styles and varieties of cheese, according to the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. 

But Wisconsin is more than just America’s Dairyland. It is the nation’s top producer of cranberries, ginseng, snap beans for processing, corn for silage, and much more. Indeed, according to the state, agriculture contributes $104.8 billion annually to the Wisconsin economy and is responsible for 435,700 jobs — 11.8% of the state’s workforce.

But when Republicans candidates falter, that can tip the statewide balance to the Democrats.

Hovde has faltered. Massively. And his faltering doesn’t just help Tammy Baldwin. It gives Democrats a needed boost in their fight to retain control of the Senate.