MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris flew to Milwaukee on the second night of the Democratic National Convention, holding a rally in the battleground state’s largest city while delegates were solidifying the nomination about 100 miles south in Chicago, a surprising move that suggested dysfunction among the party’s elites.
Harris supporters gathered Tuesday night at the Fiserv Forum, the same venue where Trump was nominated as the Republican nominee at the Republican National Convention a few weeks ago.
The Democratic presidential nominee packed an arena for his first speech of the night after the “celebratory” delegate vote in Chicago, promising, “I’ll see you in two days, Chicago,” before continuing with a largely routine campaign speech.
Wisconsin Democrats at the rally were solidly supportive of Walz, even though they were unfamiliar with the vice president or running mate or didn’t know much about her policies.
“I’m honestly excited about a candidate for the first time in a long time. I actually went to meet Biden before he pulled out, just to meet him and get a feel for him,” Jennifer Brady, a Wisconsin state official, told the Post. [for him].”
Brady said he had not followed Harris before and had not looked into her food price control policies, but acknowledged that “I like her policies.” [Harris’] The energy and everything I heard.”
Mary Claire Trinus watched Harris at Fiserv Arena from her home in Republican stronghold Waukesha County, and said she doesn’t have anyone in her neighborhood who supports Harris.
The retired hospice chaplain was wearing a stylish straw hat with a stuffed kitten on it and a card on the front mocking J.D. Vance over an online sofa story that has since been debunked.
Trinus said she was “encouraged” by Harris’ policies and that she had “done a great job,” but that she distanced herself from Biden. Trinus, a mother and widow, joked that she was actually a cat lover, despite having children, and had fun with her costume, which mocked the Republican vice presidential nominee.
Trinity, an educator and author, said Harris’s emergence as a front-runner has made people “more hopeful” and that the running mate “has experience.” A self-described cat lover, Trinity criticized the Republican field as “homogeneous” and “unbalanced,” and said Vance was merely a “younger version” of Trump.
While waiting to enter the event outside Fiserv Forum, Ellen Wysocki told The Post that she attended the rally to learn more about vice presidential candidate Tim Walz.
“Not much is known about him on this side of the state,” she said, noting Milwaukee is across the state from the western border with Minnesota.
Wysocki said he was thrilled that Harris came to Milwaukee for the event during the Democratic National Convention.
“It fits right in here!” she told The Post.
The “semi-retired” Milwaukee resident said she supports Harris’ food price control policies, and when asked what she thought of Harris’ newly announced policies, she said, “I haven’t heard anything I don’t like.”
“Inflation is awful! Prices need to come down!” said Jerrica Banks, 32, when asked if she supported Harris’ price control policies. The Milwaukee-based travel agent said she came to the rally to support Harris, and that she was a Biden supporter before Biden dropped out.
The Harris campaign claims more than 18,000 people attended the vice president’s leave rally, held 80 miles north of Chicago on Tuesday night.
