Monday, May 7, 2012

Eric Hovde and Tommy Thompson

Things are heating up in the Republican primary race for U.S. Senate.

Eric Hovde has launched an attack on Tommy Thompson.

Here's Hovde's email, subject line: "Tommy the Taxer?"

Friend,

At a U.S. Senate candidate forum earlier this week, Governor Tommy Thompson was asked about government spending.

His response?

RAISE TAXES.

Believe it or not, Governor Thompson said:

“I advocate that we start drilling in America…put a fee on the drilling…”

Because I’m not a career politician and I will call things as I see them, I called out Governor Thompson for wanting to raise taxes because the government already gets enough of our hard-earned money.

Just minutes later in a classic example of political double speak from a Washington insider, Governor Thompson claimed he had never advocated for a fee on drilling but instead wanted a permitting process.

Given that as governor, Tommy Thompson raised taxes and fees by $400 million and grew state spending by 118 percent, this should come as no surprise.

And this is exactly why we cannot afford to send another career politician to Washington.



The problems we face are too great to elect folks who will say and do anything to get elected—just to turn around and change their minds once they’re in office.

We need a leader accountable to you and not the Washington insiders, and you can show that you’re tired of politics as usual by contributing today.

With a donation of $5, $10, $25 or $50, we can send a message that we’re fed up with career politicians like Governor Tommy Thompson and Congressman Mark Neumann by sending a private sector, citizen legislator to our nation’s capital.

Please, donate today so that we can right America’s financial ship and provide a better future for our children and grandchildren.

Sincerely,

Eric Hovde

P.S. You can read about Governor Thompson’s textbook political flip flop by checking out this news article. If you agree that we simply cannot afford any more of this nonsense, please contribute today!

Tommy Thompson's campaign responded to Hovde's attack with this email, subject line: "Disappointing."
Mary,

It's disappointing to see Washington, DC hedge fund manager Eric Hovde launch an extremely dishonest and desperate attack against Tommy today. We didn't expect this level of dishonesty at the very moment Republicans are rallying together on behalf of Governor Scott Walker and our embattled GOP state senators.

Perhaps Eric Hovde is using this attack to hide the fact that he was a donor to Democrat Jim Doyle, who used Hovde's money to smear and defeat our Republican nominee Mark Green.

As a donor to Jim Doyle, who really knows what Hovde stands for?

Or maybe Hovde is feeling the heat for siding with Tammy Baldwin when he called for higher taxes on job creators during a recession like the Buffett Rule.

"And then you look over on the tax side. Look, I have no problem with me getting charged higher taxes. I've been blessed in my life." -Eric Hovde (CNBC March 12, 2009)

Or maybe Hovde is on the attack because he's been living in Washington, DC for the last 25 years. Back home in Wisconsin, people know that Tommy cut taxes 91 times - eliminated the inheritance tax, abolished the gift tax, cut income taxes three times and delivered the biggest property tax in state history. Tommy's aggressive tax cuts and reforms jumpstarted Wisconsin's economy and helped create 740,000 new jobs...putting families back to work and letting them keep more their hard-earned money.

But there are two things we do know about Eric Hovde; his campaign rhetoric doesn't match what he's been doing the last 25 years as a Washington, DC insider. And we now know that Hovde intends to run a dishonest campaign.

Keep up the fight...and remember to keep making calls and knocking on doors for Governor Walker.

Sincerely,

Darrin Schmitz

I do think Hovde's timing is off here.

I can't focus on Wisconsin's U.S. Senate race now.

Until Governor Walker is elected, AGAIN, on June 5th, I can't be distracted with sniping by Hovde.

I'm not bothered by positive ads and communications from the Senate candidates, but I don't want to hear attacks.

Bad move by Hovde.

Disappointing.

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