Dem ad nails Republican for saying overweight people should pay more for health care in Wisconsin: ‘How insulting is that?!’

A new video ad released by the Democratic Senator in Wisconsin’s election criticizes the Republican candidate for saying that obese residents should pay more for health care.

The ad was posted to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, by Ad Impact Politics, which noted that they had tracked $14.5 million in spending from Tammy Baldwin’s campaign.

‘This is the most ridiculous ad I’ve seen this cycle.’

“How much I weigh is nobody’s business,” says a black woman in the ad.

“But Eric Hovde wants to make it his,” says another woman.

“Eric Hovde thinks that if you’re overweight, insurance companies should charge you more,” says a man.

The video then cites a comment from Hovde.

“There should be consequences to those personal choices. Fine, if you want to do that, your health care is gonna cost more,” Hovde says on the clip.

“How insulting is that?!” responds the black woman.

“Hovde would increase healthcare costs for one out of every three people in Wisconsin,” adds the second woman.

“Eric Hovde. What the hell is wrong with this guy?” the man concludes.

The ad cites an article from the Daily Beast lambasting the Republican candidate for saying that some overweight people are making decisions to worsen their health outcomes. The Daily Beast called the suggestion “cruel” in its hit piece.

“You become obese, your health care is going to cost more,” Hovde said to a local channel in 2012, according to the article.

“Look, we have an explosion of Type 2 diabetes right now. Explosion. Obesity is off the charts. You know, we’re removing people from being responsible for their own health,” he added. “If they all of a sudden started to realize that they’re going to pay more for their health care by consuming, you know, by consuming massive amounts of soda every day or fatty foods and not exercising, maybe they would change their behavioral patterns.”

The article cited several experts who claimed that obesity had nothing to do with personal responsibility or willpower.

“It’s a pretty awful and dangerous thing to say,” said Dr. Melanie Jay, an obesity researcher.

‘I hope all of you that shame you obese people get fat!’

The ad was widely circulated on social media, where it was also widely mocked and ridiculed.

“This is the most ridiculous ad I’ve seen this cycle,” read one response.

“Speaking as someone who is over 400 lbs…. YES. If you are obese your healthcare SHOULD cost more,” read another response.

“Overweight people absolutely should be charged more for health insurance,” read another reply.

“Insurance is coverage against an assessed risk. If you have more body fat, yes, you have a greater medical risk, thus should pay a higher rate,” said another commenter.

But others wished that fatphobic people would get fat.

“Losing weight and keeping it off isn’t just a matter of dieting. Obesity is a very complex problem involving many factors. I hope all of you that shame you obese people get fat!” read one response.

The pivotal election will help determine which party controls the U.S. Senate, which is currently evenly split at 50 apiece, giving Democrats a slim control through the vice president tie-breaker.

Hovde has challenged Baldwin to three debates, but her campaign has only agreed to participate in one debate and refuses to send Baldwin to the other two.

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