EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (SPECTRUM NEWS) – Vice President Mike Pence hit the campaign trail in Wisconsin again Thursday—this time stopping in Eau Claire.
Much of the visit focused on bouncing back from the coronavirus pandemic.
Vice President Pence touted a great American comeback for 'Made in the USA' during a visit to Midwest Manufacturing, which is a message that hits home for many supporters in the Chippewa Valley.
“I want a businessman to lead my country,” C.C. Wagner of Chippewa Falls said. “I'm not saying he's perfect or an angel.”
Wagner is retired, but that doesn't keep her from worrying about jobs being shipped overseas.
“We have to be concerned about that because it's what gives us a house, what allows us to buy a car, raise our children, send them to college,” Wagner said. “We have to bring those businesses back to America.”
Vice President Pence touted his and President Trump's support for blue-collar Americans.
“Midwest Manufacturing has pledged to create 300 more jobs, and 150 training opportunities, for hardworking Americans right here in Wisconsin,” Pence said.
The vice president also said the Trump administration hasn't forgotten about the working class.
“Businesses large and small created more than seven million good-paying jobs, including 61,000 jobs right here in Wisconsin,” Pence said.
The economy is an important issue for Bill Delalley who is an over-the-road truck driver from Eau Claire.
“Like him or hate him, he's the right man for the job,” Delalley said. “He gets things done. America should be run as a business, he's like the prime businessman.”
Delalley also said he sees support for the president first-hand every day.
“It seems to me that it's suburbs versus city. It seems like more people in the city are Democrat whereas you get on the outskirts and, you know you see tons of support for Trump and Pence.”
Derrick Van Orden, who's running against Rep. Ron Kind (D-La Crosse) hopes that energy will pay off in November.
“They care about our jobs here,” Van Orden said. “They care about our manufacturing, our farms, and just our way of life. They want to maintain our way of life as Wisconsinites.”
The vice president's visit Thursday doesn't just come in a battleground state. Midwest Manufacturing is located in what will be a battleground county.
In 2016, President Trump lost Eau Claire County to Hillary Clinton by roughly four thousand votes.