Pro-Palestinian protesters interrupt Baldwin's speech at Wisconsin Democratic convention

For most of Saturday's Democratic Party of Wisconsin state convention in Milwaukee, the war between Israel and Hamas received scant attention.

Until U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin took the stage.

Just minutes into her talk, pro-Palestinian protesters emerged from the crowd of seated delegates to begin hurling insults at Baldwin, who's up for re-election this fall, and repeatedly shouting the phrase, "Free Palestine!" In all, Baldwin was interrupted four times by about a half-dozen people calling for a cease-fire in Gaza.

Security guards quickly escorted the protesters away as supporters of the second-term Democratic senator shouted, "Tammy! Tammy!" and held up signs supporting the Madison Democrat.

Earlier in the day, dozens protested in front of the Potawatomi Casino and Hotel in Milwaukee, where the convention was held.

During the campaign, Baldwin has walked a fine line in her approach as she and her colleagues have faced pressure from some on the left over the mounting civilian death toll in Gaza.

She has supported Israel’s right to defend itself and last month helped pass a foreign aid package that sent about $14 billion to aid Israel in its fight with Hamas. But she has also been critical of Israel's response in Gaza, calling for a ceasefire agreement in a push to get humanitarian assistance to civilians.

Andrew Mamo, a Baldwin spokesman, dismissed the interruptions as "a few protesters in a room of several hundred excited and proud Democrats."

For her part, Baldwin ignored the chants and protests, pushing ahead with a speech criticizing her Republican challenger, multimillionaire banker Eric Hovde.

In the 19-minute speech, she noted that Hovde owns a $7 million vacation home in California, oversees a $3 billion bank based in Utah and has been named one of Orange County, California’s most influential people three years in a row.

By contrast, Baldwin said he has been repeatedly critical of many in Wisconsin. For instance, she said, Hovde has called farmers lazy, claimed single-parent families are on a direct path to poverty and asserted that seniors in nursing homes shouldn’t be allowed to vote.

“I'm not sure why Eric Hovde wants a job working for people he doesn't even respect or seem to even like," Baldwin said. "What I will tell you is that he and the mega-millionaires and the right-wing Super PACs and the dark-money interest groups want to take me on for another reason, and that's because I've never been afraid to stand up to the powerful."

Earlier in the day Saturday, Baldwin talked about her message to young voters who disagree with the Democrats' approach on the war in Gaza.

She said Democratic President Joe Biden has outlined a plan calling for a ceasefire and a two-state solution. Former Republican President Donald Trump, she said, holds positions that are hostile to Muslims.

"I absolutely understand at the loss of life in Israel, the losses of life in Gaza, and the need to urgently get humanitarian aid," Baldwin said. "Engaging is the solution."

Jessie Opioen of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report.

Contact Daniel Bice at (414) 313-6684 or [email protected]. Follow him on X at @DanielBice or on Facebook at fb.me/daniel.bice.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Pro-Palestinian protesters interrupt Tammy Baldwin speech at convention