WAUSAU, Wis. — Second gentleman Doug Emhoff appeared at the 7th Annual Hmong Wausau Festival on Saturday, marking his first visit to Wisconsin this year.
Emhoff, husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, was the keynote speaker at the event, aiming to drum up support for Harris’ presidential campaign.
Emhoff’s visit closely followed Harris’ initial campaign stop as the presumptive Democratic nominee in Waukesha earlier this week.
Addressing a large crowd at the festival, Emhoff recounted the moment he first learned of his wife’s decision to run for president.
“A friend of mine showed me his phone, and I said I got to go,” Emhoff said. “So, I ran to the car. I think my agents were trying to figure out what was going on and followed me. There was my phone in the car, and I think there were 20 messages: ‘Call Kamala. Call Kamala. Call Kamala.’”
Accompanied by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, Sen. Tammy Baldwin, and other state and local politicians, Emhoff emphasized the key issues the Harris campaign intends to focus on.
“Investing in economic development, attacking the climate crisis and much, much more,” he said.
Evers highlighted his recently signed bill requiring the teaching of Asian American history in Wisconsin schools and honoring Hmong-Lao veterans.
The event was a strategic move to engage Hmong voters in Marathon County. The county, which includes Wausau, voted Republican in 2016 and 2020 but has a significant Hmong population that could swing the vote in November. In 2020, Joe Biden secured the Hmong vote in Wausau, a demographic that makes up 12% of Wausau’s residents, according to the Hmong American Center.
Residents expressed their thoughts on Emhoff’s visit. Pa Yiar Ahang of Wisconsin said, “We feel very honored for him to come to this festival. It’s one of the biggest Hmong festivals in Wisconsin too so, I would say definitely very excited and very proud that he is here.”
Chai Thao echoed the same sentiments, adding, “I’m really excited. I’m happy he is coming to us. I think we all like it, yeah.”
With less than 100 days until the presidential election, this vote is crucial for the Harris campaign.
“We also know this community right here could decide the election in this state, which could decide the election, the entire election,” Emhoff said. “You have the power right here in this Hmong community. You have more power than you realize. You’re coming together as a community could really dictate this election.”