The Sconi

Wisconsin Senate candidate Eric Hovde has voiced strong opposition to a recent initiative by a tax-funded group which distributed pro-transgender and racially charged board books to 300 daycares across the state. 

The organization behind the kits, the Wisconsin Early Childhood Association, relies heavily on taxpayer funding, raising questions about the appropriateness of using public money for these materials. 

Hovde expressed his shock at the content of the books.

“I didn't think you would even be sending anything remotely like this to daycares,” Hovde told The Sconi. “So yes, I was shocked. And frankly, the subject that this touches on is something that parents should be deciding, not a book being sent to daycares.”

Hovde is facing incumbent Democrat Tammy Baldwin, the first openly gay U.S. Senator, who faced stiff criticism last year for an earmark she included in a funding bill directing $400,000 to Dane County nonprofit whose Teens Like Us Program counsels LGBTQ children and offers "gender affirming clothing."

The kits include identity politics-themed books aimed at very young children and contain materials such as multicultural play dough, posters depicting diverse family structures, and board books addressing "gender identity" and race, with titles like "Being You and Our Skin."

Hovde said the kits are inappropriate for young children. 

Critics argue that the kits promote leftist activism and may violate civil rights laws by fostering racial division and exposing children to sexually explicit ideas.

Some daycare providers, like Elise Wiegert, expressed shock at the inappropriateness of the content for toddlers, noting the potential for confusion regarding complex topics like gender and sexuality. 

“I’m gonna tell you, it was shocking,” Wiegert told The Federalist. “… They were not appropriate for children.”

Wiegert contacted the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families about her concerns but reported no significant response from the agency. 

Similarly, Hovde relayed a conversation with a daycare provider who was equally stunned by the material. 

“She was shocked by what she was reading,” Hovde said. “First of all, why we're dealing with these kinds of sexualized contexts and content is beyond me.” 

The provider, a mother and grandmother, found the themes of "gender fluidity" especially troubling. 

“She thought it was totally inappropriate for grade level or at that stage in one's life,” Hovde remarked.

Hovde also criticized the narrative presented in the books, particularly the framing of race. 

“When we read about what is very anti-white, attacking whites for creating the concept of race, I mean, that's just nuts,” he said. 

Hovde expressed concern over the implications of labeling individuals as either inherently racist or as victims based on their skin color, describing it as “damaging.” 

“Victimization mentality is not a good psychology. It’s a very destructive psychology and psychologists know that well, so that’s not good,” he said.

Hovde emphasized the nature of the content. 

“It’s just so divisive. Both my wife and I reacted very negatively to it,” he said. 

Hovde expressed a desire to understand the motivations and funding behind such initiatives. 

“I’d really like to find out where the money is coming from and who are these people that are promoting this,” he said.

Hovde also pointed out that the issues extend beyond daycare books, referencing current debates surrounding "gender identity" in schools. 

“I haven't heard about this particular situation, but I've heard multiple times—like right now, a number of our school districts are pushing back against what the Department of Education is trying to force,” Hovde said. 

As a father of two daughters, he firmly opposes policies allowing biological males to compete in girls' sports. 

“To think that she would have had to compete against guys is just wrong. I mean, it’s fundamentally wrong,” Hovde said.

In Hovde’s view, the push to blur gender distinctions is an extension of a broader agenda. He highlighted the biological realities that he feels are being ignored. 

“It’s insanity. You’re not either a male or a female? Of course you are,” he said. 

He believes the root of these issues lies within the Department of Education. 

“If any department of the government needs to be shut down, it’s the Department of Education. The quality of education has declined in America,” he said.  

Hovde’s conceit is backed up by data. 

Nationwide ACT test scores have fallen to a 30-year low, with only 21% of students meeting benchmarks for college readiness. 

“Since (the Department of Education’s) creation, the quality of education has declined in America. In the state of Wisconsin, only 22% of school kids can read at grade level and even less are proficient at math,” Hovde said. “And yet, the Department of Education forces these mandates all over our country.” 

Hovde is committed to addressing these concerns head-on if elected to the Senate. 

“I would fight so hard against it. You have to figure out what branches of government are funding this nonsense and go after the funding,” he said. 

Hovde remains optimistic about bipartisan cooperation on these issues.

“I think absolutely there's a way to work. If I get to the U.S. Senate, I'm gonna try to work with everybody and anybody on issues of this nature,” he said. 

With the election approaching, Hovde believes awareness of such initiatives will galvanize voters. 

“Once people get out of this election process and see some of the stuff being distributed, I think a lot of Democrats will be very upset about this,” he said. 

Hovde reiterated the importance of addressing the funding mechanisms behind these programs. 

“The first thing you got to do is go at the funding piece of it. Because if it doesn't have funding, it can't continue,” Hovde said. 

Hovde is a Wisconsin native who, after attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison, became a successful entrepreneur. He is known for revitalizing struggling community banks and founding various businesses.