WASHINGTON — Wisconsin is once again in the spotlight, even though the Democratic National Convention is in Chicago.
“Wisconsin is at the center of the political universe,” said Ben Wikler, the chairman of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, on Monday.
Vice President Kamala Harris will make a stop in Milwaukee Tuesday with her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
“When Chicago is virtually next door to southern Wisconsin and to Milwaukee, it makes it easy for events to happen here,” said Charles Franklin, a professor of law and public policy at Marquette University Law School. “Holding a major rally in a big arena on a convention day is not something that’s normally been done.”
Harris’ event is at the Fiserv Forum, where Republicans held their convention in July. It’s a chance for her and Walz to spread their message in a state that could determine the outcome of the presidential election.
Franklin said the convention’s convenient location in Chicago keeps the candidates close to Wisconsin, but “it’s not the sort of thing that average voters are likely to pay a whole lot of attention to.”
He added that we can expect Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin, who faces a tough reelection bid against Republican businessman Eric Hovde, to ramp up advertising and campaigning post-convention.
One county Democratic chairman said voters are paying attention to campaign events beyond the walls of the convention hall.
“You’re seeing these road tours, or kind of road trips, that are coming from not just Harris and Walz, but also from everyone up and down the ticket, and I think it’s absolutely going to influence the down ballot candidates,” said Pete Huff, chair of the Dunn County Democrats.
In 2016, Hillary Clinton ignored Wisconsin and lost the state to Donald Trump. A cautionary tale for Democrats, one expert says Wisconsin won’t be forgotten now.
“They think Wisconsin is one of the states that is going to, you know, get them over the hump to 270,” said Geoff Peterson, chair of the political science department at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
Matt Fisher, the spokesman for the Wisconsin Republican Party, said the GOP chose Wisconsin for its convention because no better state represents working-class values.
“Democrats are gathering in Chicago because no city better symbolizes the disastrous impact of left-wing policies,” he continued in a statement to Spectrum News. “While Wisconsin Democrats will feel right at home in Chicago, working families back in Wisconsin will not be persuaded by their hollow appeals for another four years of higher costs and open borders.”
Four years ago, the DNC was supposed to be held in Milwaukee but was made virtual due to the pandemic.
“Wisconsinites will never forget how the DNC abandoned them in 2020, causing lost revenue and opportunity for the city of Milwaukee,” said Rachel Reisner, the director of battleground states communications for the Republican National Committee. “Since then, the Harris-Biden administration has continued to fail Wisconsin residents through increased prices, taxes, and crime. In November, Wisconsinites will re-elect President Donald J. Trump to restore prosperity in the state and across the country.”
Trump’s running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, will also hold a campaign event in Wisconsin on Tuesday, focused on crime and safety.
It’s one more sign of the state’s importance in this year’s election.