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Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy. We need your help. More Info ### I would like to contribute One Time Monthly Yearly Join Now ![](\\" ![](\\" Heartland Signal stated on February 20, 2024 in X, formerly Twitter: Says Republican U.S. Senate candidate Eric Hovde claims he \"understands the tragedy of children being trafficked through Central America because he owns three homes there.\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" mostly-false/6a6ef6075c162fdccf5eb960e683dcd1.jpg.\\") ![\\"barely- true\\"](\\" false.jpg\\") * Children * Elections * Wisconsin * Heartland Signal ![\\"Madeline](\\" By Madeline Heim February 22, 2024 # Claim that GOP candidate Eric Hovde ‘owns three homes in Central America’ is Mostly False #### If Your Time is short * Although Heartland Signal’s post on X suggested that Republican U.S. Senate candidate Eric Hovde owns private residences in Central America, that’s not what the new U.S. Senate candidate was referring to when he spoke during his campaign announcement about the dangers children face when they are trafficked. * He was talking about Hovde Homes, a project from his company’s charitable foundation that builds shelters for vulnerable children across the world, including those who have been trafficked. * There’s not much information available online about these shelters besides their locations — Guatemala and Honduras among them. * Heartland Signal, too, seemed to recognize the mischaracterization. In a follow-up X post, they clarified he appeared to be talking about Hovde Homes. See the sources for this fact-check Republican businessman Eric Hovde jumped in the race for one of Wisconsin’s U.S. Senate seats Tuesday, setting up a contest with U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat, and prompting a wash of criticism of his background and motivations. One such criticism — from Heartland Signal, a digital newsroom anchored to a progressive Chicago radio station – lacked some key context. Heartland Signal shared a snippet of Hovde’s announcement event on X, in which the candidate spoke about the horrors of human trafficking. \"My brother and I have homes all over the world, and we have three in Central America, that deal with issues like this,\" Hovde said. In the post, Heartland Signal wrote that \"Eric Hovde says he understands the tragedy of children being trafficked through Central America because he owns three homes there.\" That paints a bit of a misleading picture, especially given that Democrats and allies have portrayed Hovde as a carpetbagger, citing his owning residences in California and Washington, D.C. Let’s dive in. Hovde is referring to charitable shelters, not private homes Other X users, including Milwaukee Journal Sentinel state politics reporter Jessie Opoien, were quick to point out what Heartland Signal left out. The homes Hovde referenced are shelters financed by his company’s charitable giving foundation, not residences as the post suggests. According to the foundation’s website, Hovde \"has financed and oversees the construction and operation of Hovde Houses, which are homes that provide shelter, supportive services, education and love to vulnerable street children.\" The website of Hovde’s company, Hovde Properties, describes them as providing \"shelter, care, education and love to vulnerable children that were abandoned on the street or trafficked.\" It also refers to them as Hovde Homes. #### Featured Fact-check ![](\\" ![](\\" Donald Trump stated on August 15, 2024 in a news conference California law lets you “rob a store as long as it’s not more than $950” and “not get charged.” Kamala Harris “did that.” ![\\"true\\"](\\" false/33efdb6633e5e2fdc2d4e2f63383a1e0.jpg.\\") ![\\"false\\"](\\" false.jpg\\") By Jeff Cercone • August 19, 2024 Hovde’s campaign website also mentions the shelters under a section titled \"Hovde’s Heart.\" Twelve shelters have been completed to date in Bolivia, Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, Kenya, Malawi, Mexico, Peru, Rwanda and Wisconsin, according to the site, and one is in progress in Costa Rica. Beyond the above, little information exists online about the shelters. A 2014 Wisconsin State Journal article says Hovde opened the first one in Mexico City in 2006, which had served more than 200 homeless children. Still, it’s clear that those were the homes he was referencing, not private homes. It appears that Heartland Signal, too, realized the distinction. \"While not mentioned in his speech, Hovde appears to be referring to his charitable foundation, Hovde Homes,\" they replied to the original X post. Our ruling Progressive outlet Heartland Signal claimed that \"Eric Hovde says he understands the tragedy of children being trafficked through Central America because he owns three homes there.\" The homes he spoke of are shelters for vulnerable children, not residences. The original post left that distinction up to the public to suss out. Our definition of Mostly False is a statement that contains an element of truth but ignores critical facts that would give a different impression. That fits here. #### Read About Our Process The Principles of the Truth-O-Meter ### Our Sources Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, \"Businessman Eric Hovde enters U.S. Senate race, setting up Wisconsin contest against Tammy Baldwin,\" Feb. 20, 2024 Heartland Signal – About Us, accessed Feb. 21, 2024 Heartland Signal X post and reply, Feb. 20, 2024 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, \"Who is Eric Hovde? What to know about Republican candidate challenging Tammy Baldwin,\" Feb. 21, 2024 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, \"Bice: Eric Hovde transferred $2.3 million D.C. house to his brother in August,\" Feb. 20, 2024 Hovde Foundation website, accessed Feb. 21, 2024 Hovde Properties website, accessed Feb. 21, 2024 Hovde’s campaign website, accessed Feb. 21, 2024 Wisconsin State Journal, \"Hovde Houses help children in need,\" Aug. 25, 2014 ## Browse the Truth-O-Meter ### More by Madeline Heim ![](\\" ![](\\" Tim Michels stated on October 24, 2022 in News conference: Tony Evers “wants to let out between 9,000 and 10,000 more” Wisconsin prisoners ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Madeline Heim • November 4, 2022 ![](\\" ![](\\" Tony Evers stated on October 19, 2022 in Campaign ad: If a 12-year-old girl became pregnant because of rape or incest, \"Tim Michels would force her to deliver the baby.\" ![\\"mostly-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"mostly-true\\"](\\" mostly-true.jpg\\") By Madeline Heim • October 21, 2022 ![](\\" ![](\\" Tony Evers stated on October 6, 2022 in Campaign email: Says “Tim Michels wants to defund public education — calling it ‘the definition of insanity’ to continue to fund public schools.” ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Madeline Heim • October 17, 2022 ![](\\" ![](\\" Donald Trump Jr. stated on July 17, 2024 in Speech: After being shot at a Milwaukee rally in 1912, former President Teddy Roosevelt “finished his speech and he kept fighting.” ![\\"mostly-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"mostly-true\\"](\\" mostly-true.jpg\\") By Madeline Heim • July 18, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Jon Stewart stated on July 16, 2024 in TV appearance: Milwaukee\'s Marcus Performing Arts Center – where \'The Daily Show\' had been scheduled – “was originally located in the ‘soft perimeter,’ they called it, security-wise” but “was shifted, understandably so, to the ‘hard perimeter.’” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Madeline Heim • July 17, 2024 ![](\\" new/e5f81dc43ebbfab7c9d9b56cfba2f398.jpg\\") ![](\\" new/9fbc38bd9f4148c4e7374ecdd8d95da4.jpg\\") Tammy Baldwin stated on May 5, 2024 in X, formerly Twitter: “When I worked on the Affordable Care Act, I wrote the amendment that allows all young people to stay on their parents’ health insurance until they turn 26. Overnight, millions of young Americans got health care.” ![\\"mostly-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"mostly-true\\"](\\" mostly-true.jpg\\") By Madeline Heim • May 17, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Amanda Nedweski stated on January 22, 2024 in Wisconsin Assembly: \"We have technology and medical advancements today that can tell you if you are pregnant the day after conception.\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Madeline Heim • March 8, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Heartland Signal stated on February 20, 2024 in X, formerly Twitter: Says Republican U.S. Senate candidate Eric Hovde claims he \"understands the tragedy of children being trafficked through Central America because he owns three homes there.\" ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Madeline Heim • February 22, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Opportunity Wisconsin stated on September 14, 2023 in News release: \"The repeal of Roe v. Wade has exacerbated the state’s OB-GYN shortage as residency programs report a decline in enrollment due to the inability of residents to receive training in-state.\" ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") By Madeline Heim • October 25, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" Ron Johnson stated on April 24, 2023 in Public appearance: The COVID vaccine “has been proven to have negative efficacy.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Madeline Heim • June 7, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" American Principles Project stated on March 8, 2023 in Campaign ad: At a Wisconsin school, a 12-year-old girl \"was transitioned into a boy by school officials without parental consent,\" and Protasiewicz supports it. ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Madeline Heim • March 29, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" Darrin Madison stated on February 8, 2023 in News release: Under a GOP bill on cash bail, \"a large quantity of people who are accused of crimes, including anyone who even witnesses certain crimes, could now be detained and subject to bail.\" ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") By Madeline Heim • March 17, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" Robin Vos stated on January 19, 2023 in Speech: In Wisconsin, even multimillionaires can be on BadgerCare \"because we don\'t even ask people what their income level is to qualify for free health care.\" ![\\"mostly-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"mostly-true\\"](\\" mostly-true.jpg\\") By Madeline Heim • February 9, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" Scott Walker stated on January 1, 2023 in Twitter: “Every pro-life Governor up for election in November won – by a large margin.” ![\\"mostly-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"mostly-true\\"](\\" mostly-true.jpg\\") By Madeline Heim • January 13, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" Tony Evers stated on November 14, 2022 in Twitter: “An overwhelming majority of Wisconsinites support restoring #Roe and legalizing marijuana.” ![\\"mostly-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"mostly-true\\"](\\" mostly-true.jpg\\") By Madeline Heim • December 2, 2022 ![](\\" ![](\\" Tim Michels stated on October 24, 2022 in News conference: Tony Evers “wants to let out between 9,000 and 10,000 more” Wisconsin prisoners ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Madeline Heim • November 4, 2022 ![](\\" ![](\\" Tony Evers stated on October 19, 2022 in Campaign ad: If a 12-year-old girl became pregnant because of rape or incest, \"Tim Michels would force her to deliver the baby.\" ![\\"mostly-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"mostly-true\\"](\\" mostly-true.jpg\\") By Madeline Heim • October 21, 2022 ![](\\" ![](\\" Tony Evers stated on October 6, 2022 in Campaign email: Says “Tim Michels wants to defund public education — calling it ‘the definition of insanity’ to continue to fund public schools.” ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Madeline Heim • October 17, 2022 ![](\\" ![](\\" Donald Trump Jr. stated on July 17, 2024 in Speech: After being shot at a Milwaukee rally in 1912, former President Teddy Roosevelt “finished his speech and he kept fighting.” ![\\"mostly-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"mostly-true\\"](\\" mostly-true.jpg\\") By Madeline Heim • July 18, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Jon Stewart stated on July 16, 2024 in TV appearance: Milwaukee\'s Marcus Performing Arts Center – where \'The Daily Show\' had been scheduled – “was originally located in the ‘soft perimeter,’ they called it, security-wise” but “was shifted, understandably so, to the ‘hard perimeter.’” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Madeline Heim • July 17, 2024 ![](\\" new/e5f81dc43ebbfab7c9d9b56cfba2f398.jpg\\") ![](\\" new/9fbc38bd9f4148c4e7374ecdd8d95da4.jpg\\") Tammy Baldwin stated on May 5, 2024 in X, formerly Twitter: “When I worked on the Affordable Care Act, I wrote the amendment that allows all young people to stay on their parents’ health insurance until they turn 26. Overnight, millions of young Americans got health care.” ![\\"mostly-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"mostly-true\\"](\\" mostly-true.jpg\\") By Madeline Heim • May 17, 2024 ### Claim that GOP candidate Eric Hovde ‘owns three homes in Central America’ is Mostly False * ![](\\" ![](\\" Instagram posts stated on September 12, 2024 in an Instagram post: A video shows a body that Israel embedded with a bomb exploding during a Palestinian funeral procession. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Sofia Ahmed • September 13, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on September 11, 2024 in a post: “ESPN has fired Shannon Sharpe.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Gideon Hess • September 13, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Instagram posts stated on September 12, 2024 in an Instagram post: Former President Donald Trump admitted during the Sept. 10 presidential debate that he “blew up the Nord Stream pipeline.” ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Loreben Tuquero • September 13, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on September 10, 2024 in a Facebook post: Patron, Don Julio and Pink Whitney tequila recalled because they contained fecal matter. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Jeff Cercone • September 13, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Elissa Slotkin stated on September 11, 2024 in a TV ad: Mike Rogers supported “laws that could eliminate IVF and birth control.” ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") By Caleb McCullough • September 13, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Instagram posts stated on September 11, 2024 in an Instagram post: \"Debate moderators made the false claim to Donald Trump that there is nowhere in the United States where abortion is legal up until birth.\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Jeff Cercone • September 13, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on September 12, 2024 in a Facebook post: ABC News fired presidential debate moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis. ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Sofia Ahmed • September 13, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Yes on 4 stated on September 10, 2024 in a TV ad: Florida’s six-week abortion law has “no real exceptions. 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Says Republican US Senate candidate Eric Hovde claims he understands the tragedy of children being trafficked through Central America because he owns three homes there