Rep. Glenn Grothman talks about affordability but has consistently acted against the economic interests of Wisconsin families. He "fully" endorsed President Trump's tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China — tariffs that UW-Madison economists project will cost Wisconsin dairy farmers $1-2 billion in income losses and reduce individual farm income by up to 50%. He voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which imposed the deepest SNAP cut in history, putting nearly 90,000 Wisconsinites at risk of losing food assistance and costing the state $314 million per year. He introduced legislation to eliminate the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, the nation's primary affordable housing program. He voted against the Inflation Reduction Act's $35 insulin cap. And when asked about the cost of the social programs his constituents depend on, he said "we don't have the money at all, at all, at all" — but celebrated the same reconciliation bill that extended trillions in tax cuts tilted toward the wealthy.
Grothman "Fully" Endorsed Trump's Tariffs On Canada, Mexico, And China. According to Grothman's own press release, "I fully support President-Elect Trump's proposed aggressive economic measures against Mexico, Canada, and China." Grothman argued the tariffs "will not only hold these countries accountable, but also strengthen the U.S. economy." [Grothman.house.gov, 11/26/24]
UW-Madison Economists Projected Tariffs Would Cost Wisconsin Dairy Farmers $1-2 Billion In Income Losses. According to WXPR, UW-Madison agricultural economist Chuck Nicholson modeled "a 15 to 50% reduction in the income for a farm that's about the average size in Wisconsin of about 250 cows, with potential for a $1 billion to $2 billion worth of income losses in the state." [WXPR, 5/2/25]
Wisconsin Exported $518 Million In Dairy Products In 2023, With Canada And China As Primary Markets Now Hit By Retaliatory Tariffs. According to WXPR, "China has imposed a 125% tariff on U.S. dairy, while Canada's 25% tariff remains in effect." Approximately 15% of Wisconsin's dairy products go to Canada. A Wisconsin dairy farmer told WXPR, "If public policy creates a situation that makes things even less certain in an already terribly uncertain environment, then yeah, you grow gray hair as your main crop." [WXPR, 5/2/25]
Yale Budget Lab Found Tariffs Cost The Average American Household $1,700 Per Year. According to the Yale Budget Lab, the 2025 tariffs "imply an increase in consumer prices of 1.2% in the short run," representing "a loss of $1,700 for the average household and $900 for households at the bottom of the income distribution." The burden on the lowest-income households was "more than three times" that of the wealthiest as a share of income. [Yale Budget Lab, 11/17/25]
Grothman Voted For A Reconciliation Bill That Put Nearly 90,000 Wisconsinites At Risk Of Losing Food Assistance. According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, nearly 700,000 Wisconsinites receive SNAP/FoodShare benefits, and approximately 90,000 people face potential loss of benefits under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. An additional 88,200 individuals would need to submit new work documentation. Grothman celebrated the bill's passage as "a historic victory for Americans." [Wisconsin DHS, 5/22/25]
The Bill Imposed The Deepest SNAP Cut In History, Totaling $295 Billion Over A Decade. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the House reconciliation bill proposed "the deepest SNAP cut in history," amounting to roughly 30% of SNAP funding over fiscal years 2026 through 2034. The bill expanded work requirements to adults up to age 64, up from the prior cap of 49. [CBPP, Viewed 2/16/26]
The SNAP Cuts Will Cost Wisconsin Taxpayers $314 Million Per Year. According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, "these cuts would cost our state approximately $314 million every year," including $207 million in new state matching payments, $51 million in administrative costs, and $12 million in lost nutrition education funding. [Wisconsin DHS, 5/22/25]
Grothman Suggested That 41 Million Americans On SNAP Was Evidence Of Fraud. According to Crooks and Liars, Grothman appeared on the Milwaukee-based talk show UpFront in December 2025 and "exclaimed that 41 million people were receiving SNAP benefits and argued that that number alone was proof that there had to be some sort of fraud going on." Wisconsin's SNAP payment error rate is 4.41%, among the lowest nationally. [Crooks and Liars, 12/9/25]
Grothman Voted Against The Inflation Reduction Act, Blocking The $35 Insulin Cap And Medicare Drug Price Negotiation. According to the Wisconsin Independent, the Inflation Reduction Act "instituted a $35 monthly cap on insulin costs for about 4 million Medicare subscribers with diabetes and authorized the program to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies to lower prices on commonly used medications." Grothman voted against the bill. [Wisconsin Independent, 1/1/25]
Grothman Voted To Advance A Budget That Would Strip Health Coverage From 276,175 Wisconsinites. According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, the federal reconciliation bill will cause "276,175 Wisconsinites" to "lose health care coverage under the ACA and Medicaid over the next decade." [Wisconsin DHS, 7/15/25]
Grothman Called Expanded Health Coverage A "Nightmare" On Television. According to Crooks and Liars, Grothman appeared on the Milwaukee-based talk show UpFront and characterized expanded social programs including ACA subsidies as a "nightmare." When asked whether the subsidies would survive, Grothman said, "we don't have the money at all, at all, at all." [Crooks and Liars, 12/9/25]
Grothman Introduced A Bill To Eliminate The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit. According to Grothman's press release, he introduced the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Elimination Act in May 2025, calling the program "another way for developers to get rich, while hardworking taxpayers foot the bill." The LIHTC is the nation's primary tool for financing affordable housing construction and has supported the creation of approximately 3.6 million affordable rental homes since 1986. [Grothman.house.gov, 5/22/25]
Wisconsin Dairy Farmers Faced A "Hard Year" In 2025 As Tariffs Hit From "All Angles." According to Wisconsin Farmer, "2025 has been a hard year to get through for many Wisconsin dairy farmers," with tariffs and trade policies "hitting farmers from all angles." Wisconsin hosts approximately 5,300 dairy farms — more than any other state — contributing over $52.8 billion annually to the state economy. [Wisconsin Farmer, 12/26/25]
Wisconsin ACA Enrollment Dropped And Premiums Skyrocketed After Subsidies Grothman Voted Against Expired. According to Wisconsin Public Radio, "fewer Wisconsinites are enrolling in Affordable Care Act marketplace plans as health insurance premiums continue to increase significantly." Just under 290,000 Wisconsinites signed up for 2026 coverage, down from nearly 307,000 the prior year, after enhanced ACA tax credits expired. [WPR, 1/16/26]
Wisconsin Agricultural Leaders Warned Trade Could "Make Or Break" State Farms In 2026. According to Wisconsin Public Radio, UW-Madison economists warned at the 2026 Wisconsin Agricultural Outlook Forum that trade disputes "could make or break Wisconsin farms in 2026," setting farmers up for another difficult year after a 2025 marked by uncertainty and tariff-driven disruptions. [WPR, 2/2/26]