The Sconi

Eric Hovde, U.S. Senate Candidate for Wisconsin, stated that the Biden-Harris administration and Senator Baldwin are prioritizing open borders over Wisconsin's safety, leading to increased illegal immigration, drug overdoses, and terrorist threats. Hovde shared his statement with The Sconi on August 29.

"The Biden-Harris administration and Sen. Baldwin continue to prove they prioritize their disastrous open borders agenda over the people of Wisconsin," said Hovde. "These changes will only incentivize more waves of illegal immigration that have already led to skyrocketing drug overdoses and known terrorists entering the country. Sen. Baldwin does nothing to stop it — it's time for a change."

Since President Biden took office in January 2021, there have been over 7.7 million encounters at the U.S. southwest border, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). This number includes individuals apprehended or deemed inadmissible by CBP. These figures reflect the ongoing and significant challenges faced at the U.S.-Mexico border, with encounters seeing fluctuations depending on policy changes, seasonal trends, and broader migration dynamics.

Eric Hovde | erichovde.com

In Wisconsin, fentanyl is now a major driver of the state's overdose crisis, contributing to over 1,000 deaths annually, according to Wisconsin Public Radio. In 2022, fentanyl was involved in over 75% of all overdose deaths in certain counties. The drug is often found mixed with other substances, making it especially lethal even in small amounts. In 2021 alone, fentanyl deaths increased dramatically, hitting young adults the hardest. While the rate of deaths may have plateaued slightly in 2023, fentanyl remains the leading cause of death for Wisconsin residents aged 25 to 54.

Over the past four years, U.S. Border Patrol has encountered a significant number of individuals on the terrorist watchlist attempting to enter the country. According to CBP data from fiscal year 2023 alone, there were 564 such encounters at the U.S. border—a stark increase from previous years. This rise highlights growing concerns about security challenges at the border as authorities continually work to identify and prevent potential threats from entering the U.S.

According to his website, Eric Hovde was born and raised in Madison, Wisconsin. He attended the University of Wisconsin and became an entrepreneur at a young age by founding and managing his first business in his twenties and starting several more after that. Along with his brother, he started the Hovde Foundation through which they have built ten "Hovde Homes" and "provide shelter, care, and love to vulnerable children and families right here in Wisconsin and all across the world." His foundation also supports other charities such as food banks, literacy initiatives like Clean Lakes Alliance (CLA), and works to end sex trafficking.