Hovde calls for action against rising national debt, fentanyl overdoses and immigration policy

MILWAUKEE, WI — U.S. Senate candidate Eric Hovde took the stage to speak at the Republican National Convention (RNC) on Tuesday, July 16.

In his remarks, he called for the re-election of former President Donald Trump to counter rising national debt, inflation and the fentanyl crisis and to strengthen the country’s reputation on the international stage.

“Senator Baldwin votes with President Biden 95% of the time, making Americans less safe,” Hovde said of his opponent, Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin.

Hovde highlights national debt

While standing at the podium, Hovde stressed that he was concerned about the national debt.

“We have accumulated more debt in the last three and a half years than in the first 230 years of our country combined,” he said.

This claim is only partially true.

According to the U.S. Treasury Department, the national debt has increased significantly in recent years, largely because the government has had to engage in unprecedented spending to mitigate some of the economic impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Hovde blames porous southern border for fentanyl deaths

Hovde also condemned the handling of the southern border, saying the Biden administration’s handling of immigration contributed to the number of fentanyl deaths.

The drug killed more than 100,000 people in a 12-month period ending April 2021.

“Preliminary data show that fentanyl overdose deaths in Wisconsin increased 97 percent from 2019 (651) to 2021 (1,280),” the Wisconsin Department of Human Services website states.

In Racine County, fentanyl was the cause of death in 94% of overdose cases in 2021. Between 2019 and 2021, the number of overdose deaths involving fentanyl increased by 183%.

Blaming Biden for the flood of fentanyl in American cities tells only half the story.

Biden supported a bipartisan immigration bill that was blocked by Republicans. The bill aimed to address border security by hiring more Border Patrol agents, increasing the number of immigration judges and asylum officers, and introducing new technology to combat drug trafficking.

It also aimed to expand legal immigration pathways and speed up the issuance of work permits for eligible individuals. The bill faced opposition from Republicans in Congress, who ultimately blocked its passage.

Wisconsin depends on immigration

On the second night of the RNC, the topic of immigration was raised more and more frequently.

And while Hovde’s perception of an increase in illegal border crossings is supported by recent data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, it is also important to consider the impact undocumented workers have on Wisconsin’s industry.

Although Wisconsin is known as the “dairy state,” the industry could not compete without the labor of illegal workers.

According to a study by the University of Wisconsin, almost 70 percent of milkers on dairy farms are undocumented.

Undocumented workers often undertake labour-intensive jobs in agriculture, such as fruit and vegetable harvesting, construction or the service sector.