Eric Hovde Lives Large

Yesterday I wrote about Eric Hovde's official entrance into the Out-of-Touch Rich Guy Club.  His induction was brought about by his tone deaf comments at a Brookfield Chamber of Commerce event. The Republican candidate for U.S. Senate complained that the media spends too much time telling us about "sob stories" and how people couldn't get "their food stamps or this or that."

As I said yesterday, it is very easy for someone like Eric Hovde to look down his nose at working Wisconsinites that are struggling to get into the middle class and then stay there. Hovde grew up the privileged son of a real estate developer and obviously is not in touch with the real lives of average voters in Wisconsin. Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised since the hedge fund manager has lived in Washington D.C. for over 20 years until he prepared to run for U.S. Senate.

Since Eric Hovde is apparently very willing to peer down on the working classes below him, perhaps we should take a closer look at a piece of his world.  This would be a lot easier if he would stop stalling and file his financial disclosures.  Until then there are only a few ways that we can take a glimpse into Hovde's privileged lifestyle.

As previously mentioned Eric Hovde lived in Washington D.C. for over 20 years and it appears that he still owns his home there. According to the District of Columbia the total value of that home is estimated at over $5 million.  Check out a bird's eye view of that massive home sitting on its sprawling estate.

In preparation for his planned run for the U.S. Senate, Eric Hovde moved back to Wisconsin.  It seems that he purchased a very large home on Lake Mendota in 2011.  Apparently he took a step down because this one was only valued at $2 million last year. But still it appears to include some of the following features:

• A massive 100' of prime Lake Mendota frontage, lakeside patio and pier  
• It sits across from a golf course
• Formal dining room with an adjacent "butler's pantry"
• Master bath with a fireplace over a large Jacuzzi
• An exercise room and lower level gym

Don't take my word for it, check out the video tour with the pretty music.

Given his high society background and luxury-filled life, I guess I can see why Eric Hovde wouldn't want it tainted by the "sob stories" of the poor.  Who in his position would want to hear about people trying to break into the ranks of the middle class and the others that are clinging just to stay there?  Those stories of constant struggle are not usually very pretty. At least not as pretty as Eric Hovde's sprawling views of Lake Mendota.