In the hotly contested race for U.S. Senate in Wisconsin, Republican Eric Hovde focused much of his closing messages on attacks on the financial career of Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin's girlfriend and emphasized her same-sex relationship.

In a series of television commercials during the final period of the election, Hovde's campaign repeatedly mentioned Maria Brisbane, referring to her as Baldwin's “life partner” or her “friend.” Baldwin publicly refers to Brisbane as her friend.

In one such ad from Hovde's campaign and a joint fundraising committee, a woman identifying herself as a Wisconsin resident criticizes Baldwin for being “in bed with Wall Street.”

“As she sleeps in her friend’s million-dollar apartment in New York City, families in Wisconsin are plagued by high inflation and handouts for illegal immigrants.”

“Tammy and her friend live large while families from Wisconsin foot the bill,” the woman added.

In another Hovde campaign ad, a narrator talks about Baldwin's relationship with Brisbane.

“This is Senator Tammy Baldwin,” the narrator says. “This is her partner, Maria Brisbane, a Wall Street executive who makes millions advising the super-rich how to make money in the industries Tammy regulates.”

“Tammy doesn’t come back to Wisconsin most weekends. “She would rather be in New York in Maria’s $7 million apartment,” the narrator adds.

According to the tracking firm AdImpact, a total of seven of the 34 Republican TV ads aired in Wisconsin last month that will help determine the balance of power in the Senate featured Baldwin's girlfriend. The frequency with which these seven ads ran represents more than a quarter of all Republican anti-Baldwin TV commercial airings last month.

Baldwin was the first openly gay woman elected to Congress in 1998 and the first openly gay candidate to the U.S. Senate in 2012. Brisbane is a private wealth advisor for a subsidiary of Morgan Stanley. Baldwin and Brisbane have been together since 2018.

Baldwin is now seeking a third term in the Senate and said the attacks were intended to distract from her record.

“Such things are usually considered taboo in politics, right? “To talk about people’s personal lives and their family members,” Baldwin said during a recent appearance on MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports.”

“Eric Hovde is desperately trying to distract us from his true vulnerabilities and conflicts of interest,” she added.

Hovde, a multimillionaire businessman and bank owner, also repeated some of the attacks from his ads on the trail.

In her debate last month, the only one this cycle, Hovde repeatedly criticized Baldwin's relationship with Brisbane, saying at one point: “I'm the one who's against Big Pharma.” It's your Wall Street partner who invests in Big Pharma , which you supervise.”

At another point during the Oct. 18 debate, Baldwin hit back, saying, “Eric Hovde should stay out of my personal life – and I think I speak for most women in Wisconsin that he should stay out of all of our private lives.” “

In a response to questions about the strategy to highlight Baldwin's relationship, Hovde campaign spokesman Zach Bannon said: “We agree with Tammy Baldwin's 2009 version and any attempt to distract from the facts of this conflict of interest is a disservice.” for the people of Wisconsin who deserve transparency.”

Bannon's statement references a recent CNN report about comments Baldwin made in 2009 that said legal domestic partners of gay and lesbian officials should be subject to the same annual financial disclosure requirements as heterosexual married couples.

“All members of Congress submit annual financial reports. Married members are required to submit very important information about their spouse's income, investments, gifts and debts, etc. “The public interest would certainly require that these obligations extend to partners of gay and lesbian officials,” Baldwin said during a congressional hearing in 2009.

Baldwin and Brisbane are neither married nor legal partners. Additionally, Baldwin does not sit on committees—for example, the Senate Banking or Finance Committee—that regulate Wall Street matters.

Baldwin campaign officials and LGBTQ rights organizations said Hovde's attack lines amounted to a cynical ploy by Republicans.

“Senator. “Baldwin’s sexual orientation is not on the ballot and ads like this once again demonstrate her opponent’s hostility toward LGBTQ people,” said Sarah Kate Ellis, president and CEO of GLAAD. “Senator. Baldwin has never hidden who she is from her constituents and has a proven commitment to advancing equality and prosperity for everyone in Wisconsin and people across the country.”

Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign, the country's largest LGBTQ rights group, added in a statement: “Wisconsiners want a proven leader with a track record of solving problems. That leader is Tammy Baldwin.”

“Eric Hovde has done little more than sow hatred and division, including shameful dog whistles and attacks against Senator Baldwin,” Robinson added.

The Human Rights Campaign has endorsed Baldwin in the race. While GLAAD has not made a formal endorsement, it has published voter information guides that highlight each candidate's record on LGBTQ issues.

Baldwin campaign spokesman Andrew Mamo said in a statement: “Eric Hovde has poured his fortune into one of the darkest and most controversial campaigns in Wisconsin history.”

“Wisconsiners will reject Hovde because they know Tammy Baldwin will show up, listen and work with everyone to get the job done,” he added.

Hovde and his allies have also run several ads targeting Baldwin over transgender issues, similar to those aired by former President Donald Trump and on behalf of other Republican Senate candidates across the country.

Hovde's ads include one that falsely accuses Baldwin of “funding a clinic that provides transgender therapy to minors without parental consent” and another that accuses her of helping to fund a nonprofit organization that “forces an aggressive LGBTQ agenda on children without parental involvement.”

The ads come amid a bitter battle between the states that has intensified in recent weeks and included numerous personal attacks.

Baldwin and outside Democratic groups have highlighted that Hovde has lived in California for much of the last few years. Hovde has also frequently attacked Baldwin as an out-of-touch career politician.