Shirtless US Senate candidate submerges himself in Wisconsin lake, issues challenge to opponent

By SCOTT BAUER
Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A shirtless candidate for U.S. Senate broke through the ice of a Madison lake hoping to pour cold water on any notion that he’s a soft Californian, not a hardy Wisconsinite. And then in a video posted Thursday on X, Eric Hovde challenged his Democratic challenger, U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, to take a cold plunge as well. The multimillionaire Republican Hovde is trying to combat attacks from Baldwin and Democrats that he’s more Golden State than Dairy State. Hovde was born and raised in Wisconsin, but also owns a $7 million estate in Laguna Beach, California, and a California bank. Democrats responded by saying the challenge won’t stop them from talking about his California connections.