WATERTOWN, Wis. — President Donald Trump’s rally in Racine, Wis., on Tuesday marked his first visit to the battleground state since his Manhattan conviction and since he reportedly called Milwaukee, about 40 minutes north of the lakeside city, a “bad city.”
The county is crucial to the outcome of the presidential election, as evidenced by President Biden’s visit to Racine, the county seat, last month.
Trump won the county in 2016 and 2020 with 50% and 51% of the vote, respectively.
President Barack Obama won the county with just over 51% of the vote in 2012 and 53% in 2008. Back in 2000 and 2004, President George W. Bush won the county with roughly 50% and 52% of the vote, respectively.
Both parties see battleground states as a top priority this fall.
Biden and his surrogates have made multiple visits to Wisconsin, and the Republican National Committee is holding its convention in Milwaukee next month.
“Wisconsin holds the keys to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in November,” said Matt Fischer, a spokesman for the Wisconsin Republican Party. “After four years of rising prices, falling wages and open border policies, Racine voters are ready to step up their game.” [the] “I am ready to lead the Biden Administration and work alongside President Trump to bring common sense leadership back to the White House.”
Racine’s Democratic mayor, Corey Mason, said that between Biden’s May visit and Trump’s Tuesday visit, “it’s great to see Racine being highlighted at the highest levels of presidential politics.”
Mason said Trump’s failed Foxconn contract, which he supported as president in 2018, and the $3.3 billion investment Microsoft plans to have a presence in the region by 2026, which Biden touted during his visit to Racine last month. “Trump made a lot of promises and didn’t deliver,” he said. “President Biden came into office and delivered on investments that will bring billions of dollars to the region.”
“Joe Biden’s policies have led to higher prices, lower wages and stagnant manufacturing for Racine families,” Republican National Committee spokeswoman Anna Kelly countered, “and caused Biden’s approval rating to drop to its lowest point across Wisconsin.”
Biden has just a 39.3% approval rating in the Badger State and a 55.7% disapproval rating, according to the RealClearPolitics average.
“Racine County voters voted for President Trump in 2016 and 2020,” she continued, and on Tuesday, “it will be clearer than ever that they are prepared to help send Wisconsin’s 10 electoral votes to the Republican Party this fall.”
Last week, the Wisconsin Supreme Court Banned The mobile early voting locations were set up in response to a lawsuit against Racine’s 2022 “voting vans.”
Republicans argued the van was used primarily in Democratic-leaning areas.
The city purchased the van with funding from the Center for Technology and Civic Life, a nonprofit funded by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife.
Racine was one of five Wisconsin cities that received a majority of CTCL 2020 election administration grant funding. Private financing of election administration is currently prohibited by two constitutional laws. Fixes Wisconsin voters approved it this year.
The ruling on July 11, just four days before the convention begins, will determine whether Trump travels to Wisconsin and accepts the nomination at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
