Exposed: Wisconsin Senate candidate Eric Hovde's opulent California lifestyle

New details are emerging about Republican Eric Hovde’s lavish lifestyle in California. Hovde launched a bid for U.S. Senate in Wisconsin on Feb. 20.

Tracker footage made available to the American Journal News shows Hovde lounging on the beach and splashing in the waves near his beachfront home in Emerald Bay, California. The footage is from 2023 when Hovde was considering a senate campaign.

Hovde and his wife purchased their Emerald Bay home in 2018 for $6.85 million. A realtor listing for the property boasted about its five bedrooms each with its own en suite bathroom, a gourmet chef’s kitchen with marble countertops, and floor-to-ceiling windows with expansive ocean to canyon views. 

As of 2024, the assessed value of the home was $7,187,566. Hovde owed approximately $73,876 in California property taxes for 2023.

Emerald Bay is a gated community with its own fire department and security patrol. The California Coastal Commission requires all private beaches to provide pathways for pedestrians to access public beaches. The Emerald Bay community circumvented this rule by purchasing land from the tideline to each individual home, effectively making the entire beach private property.

Emerald Bay was featured on a 2019 episode of the show “Million Dollar House Hunters.”

In addition to his California property, Hovde and wife owned a $2.3 million home in Washington D.C.

Hovde transferred ownership of that home to his brother, Steven, in August 2023.

Hovde has advocated for policies that could hurt working Americans. In 2012, he pushed for a total repeal of the Affordable Care Act, which in 2022 made it possible for 212,209 individuals in Wisconsin to obtain affordable health insurance coverage. In 2017, Hovde backed a plan that would raise taxes on retirees and low-income earners.

A Hovde spokesperson did not immediately respond to questions for this story.

Hovde’s campaign has been endorsed by the National Republican Senatorial Committee. If he secures the Republican nomination, he will challenge incumbent Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin in the general election.