Eric Hovde talks trailing in polls, what RNC means for Milwaukee

Eric Hovde, Republican candidate for Senate, talked about his expectations for Trump's speech Thursday night, his place in the polls, and what the RNC means for Wisconsin.

• Eric Hovde , Republican candidate for Senate, says two main issues are resonating with Wisconsin voters: rising costs and the border.
• After polls showed him trailing behind his opponent Sen. Tammy Baldwin, Hovde says he's building momentum.
• Hovde says he's "so proud" of Wisconsin during the RNC.

Former President Trump is expected to formally accept the Republican nomination in a highly-anticipated speech tonight.

Hovde said he's looking out for two issues he believes are important to Wisconsin voters.

"By far, the two biggest issues people are talking about is the cost of everything, you know, food costs, energy costs, insurance costs... So I want President Trump to talk about how he's going to address that. The second issue is the border," Hovde said.

Recent polls have Hovde trailing his opponent Sen. Tammy Baldwin by five points, even though further up the ballot, former President Trump is leading President Joe Biden by six points.

I asked Hovde about this gap.

"The momentum has clearly been on my side," Hovde said. "Look, I came into it, where nobody knew my name. [Baldwin] is a career politician has been in politics for 40 years. So the fact that I've gained as tremendous as I have, and recent polls showing me tight or down one or whatever, you know, I love the position that we're sitting in."

I asked Hovde about why he might behind in the race for Senate, while the Republican candidate is ahead in the race for president.

"[It's] because what happened with Joe Biden at the debate, and, you know, President Trump's name recognition," Hovde said. "I mean, anybody that's not at the presidential level or hasn't been spent their life in politics, you have to get your name recognition up. "

I asked Hovde what the RNC in Milwaukee has meant for the state of Wisconsin as a whole.

"You know, I think Wisconsin has done a fantastic job," Hovde said. I'm so proud of our state. One day was a little hot, but the weather has turned nice, but most importantly, it's the people of Wisconsin. You know, we're just a nice people. We're a nice state."

In a statement to NBC 26, a spokesperson for Sen. Baldwin said: "Tammy Baldwin constantly travels Wisconsin, showing up in every type of community and listening to working families’ concerns. She believes every Wisconsinite deserves access to a good paying job that pays the bills, relief from the rising cost of raising a family, and the same freedoms their parents and grandparents had including the freedom to make their own health care decisions."