U.S. Senate candidate Hovde-backed tech company got stimulus cash

By The Associated Press

CREATED Jul. 24, 2012

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  • Eric Hovde

MADISON- Republican Senate hopeful Eric Hovde says he opposes the federal stimulus, but a tech company he backs collected more than $2 million from the program.

Hovde sits on the board of ePlus, a computer services company, and has said he's the second-largest shareholder.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Tuesday that ePlus got more than $2.3 million in dozens of federal grants in recent years.

Hovde's campaign says he owns far less than a controlling stake in the company.

Hovde and his Republican rivals, former Rep. Mark Neumann and former Gov. Tommy Thompson, have all sharply criticized the stimulus law. But companies connected to both Neumann and Thompson have benefited from it, too.