Nursing home lawsuits, lies about childhood, and in-party fighting
Welcome to another week of Transplant Turmoil—the weekly series spotlighting the ways Republican carpetbaggers continue to prove themselves as out-of-touch with the state they’re running in.
Here’s what the GOP’s out-of-touch candidates have been up to:
#WISen: California Bank Owner Eric Hovde Involved in a Disturbing Nursing Home Lawsuit
- A troubling new report from the New York Times revealed Eric Hovde’s California bank is facing a lawsuit for elder abuse, negligence and wrongful death in a nursing home, throwing his recent comments into a fresh light. Two weeks ago, Hovde questioned whether or not people in nursing homes should be allowed to vote and, just last week, doubled down on his stance. It’s increasingly clear that Hovde is not fit to represent Wisconsin seniors as he views them as second-class citizens.
- After the millionaire bank owner puffed up his fundraising numbers with an $8 million personal loan, his brother followed suit and bankrolled a pro-Hovde super PAC, accounting for almost all of the $1.03 million raised in the first quarter. Buying a Senate seat is a Hovde family affair.
- In a desperate attack against Senator Baldwin, Hovde claimed that she has never authored any legislation as a U.S. senator, which is a blatant lie. Wisconsin Watch issued a fact-check, citing the over 400 bills Senator Baldwin has introduced, including the legislation she introduced this year that would reauthorize the Commission on Farm Transitions. Unsurprisingly, neither Hovde nor his campaign were able to offer any information to back up their lies.
- Hovde’s no-good, very bad week continued when he attempted to lead the Pledge of Allegiance at a recent campaign stop, but completely skipped a verse. His gaff becomes even more embarrassing as he was declaring his love for America seconds before the blunder.
#PASen: Connecticut Hedge Fund Millionaire David McCormick Lies About Rural Upbringing
- After claiming that he grew up in rural Pennsylvania, the New York Times revealed that McCormick’s childhood was far from the humble image he painted. Instead, the hedge fund millionaire largely grew up in the “president’s mansion”—a sprawling residence at Bloomsburg University, where his father was president of the university. And while they did own a farm, it was more locally known as a family hobby, where McCormick’s mother raised Arabian horses—a far cry from the working farm he said it was. His lies are a slap in the face to all working farmers in Pennsylvania and reinforce how low McCormick is willing to stoop in his campaign.
- In a new radio interview, McCormick claimed he was running as an “outsider”—which is laughable considering he was a member of the George W. Bush Administration and was recently exposed for using his position to rewrite standards and make it easier to pad his own pockets. Perhaps he meant he was running as an outsider to Pennsylvania?
#MTSen: Wannabe Cowboy Millionaire Tim Sheehy Relies on Anti-Abortion Group to Supply Canvassers
- As Montanans rally around the abortion ballot initiative, SBA Pro-Life America—the anti-choice group that endorsed Sheehy—plans to ship more than 50 canvassers to Big Sky Country to campaign for the wannabe cowboy. It’s no surprise considering Sheehy supports a national abortion ban, previously comparing abortions to “murdering” children and refuses to support the Access to Family Building Act, which protects reproductive rights.
- In a recent ad, Sheehy leaned into anti-semetic tropes when portraying Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. The disgusting image plays into a centuries old stereotype that is often spread by right-wing outs—and it’s unacceptable for anyone, let alone a Senate candidate, to perpetuate.
#MISen: Florida-Man Mike Rogers Dodges Question on 2020 Election
- In a new radio interview, Rogers is unable to point-blank answer the simple question of whether he believes President Biden won the 2020 election. Instead, he dodged the question, claiming he’s answered the question “hundreds of times” before quickly attempting to pivot to this year’s election. Considering his recent endorsements from Trump and election denier Kash Patel, Michigan voters deserve to hear out-right if Rogers believes President Biden won or if he will peddle conspiracy theories.
- In a different radio interview, Rogers claims small-dollar donations are “unusual”—which makes sense considering he relies on the wealthy elite and special interests to bolster his campaign. Meanwhile, Representative Slotkin, who doesn’t take corporate PAC money, doesn’t have the same issue, with 95% of her contributions totaling $100 or less and had six times as many small-dollar donors. It’s clear working families know that Rogers would put the pocketbooks of his wealthy buddies—and himself—ahead of Michiganders.
#NVSen: Scam Brown Fuels Further In-Party Fighting
- As the Senate race heats up in Nevada, Republicans have ramped up their in-party fighting, as many are unhappy with Brown’s campaign. This week, one of his Republican rivals launched a new wave of attack ads against him, labeling him “Scam Brown” and, in a later interview, reminded voters that Brown is “a three-time loser.”
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