Eric Hovde Doubles Down on Controversial Juneteenth Comments: “I’m very proud of what I’ve done…in this county and in Africa”

As Hovde attended his first-ever Juneteenth event, he equated his familiarity with Wisconsin’s Black community to charity work in Africa, stating he “spent a lot of time in black culture … in places like Africa,” and, “I have homeless shelters for abandoned kids.”

Following this remark, Hovde received brutal and swift blowback, with pundits and reporters alike calling out the embattled politician for his utterly tone-deaf comments.

But when given the chance to explain, apologize, or do frankly anything to clarify that he in fact does not believe his experience with homeless shelters in Africa means he understands Black culture in Milwaukee, Hovde doubled down.

Per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

“Republican Senate candidate Eric Hovde stood by his recent remarks about being connected to the Black community because he has homeless shelters in Africa, saying he was proud of his work helping children there and in America.”

This is just the latest in a series of missteps voters have seen from Hovde since he entered Wisconsin’s Senate race. His refusal to take responsibility for his tone-deaf remarks on Juneteenth only adds more evidence of his cultural incompetence.

“Wisconsinites, and the Black community in particular, deserve a representative who recognizes their unique experiences and contributions, and who will work tirelessly to address their concerns,” said Senate Majority PAC spokesperson Von Walker. “What they don’t deserve is an out-of-touch millionaire banker like Hovde who thinks charity work in Africa qualifies him to understand Black voters in Milwaukee.”

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