Staff Reports
President Joe Biden is gearing up for a visit to Wisconsin next week, his first since stepping out of the presidential race. It seems the President is on a mission to remind voters of his “Investing in America agenda,” which he claims is bringing prosperity to communities across Wisconsin. It’s a classic case of trying to sell a ship that’s clearly taking on water while ignoring the fact that many folks are still bailing out the bilge.
Biden’s grand tour is set to take place in the southwestern corner of the state, a region that’s been keeping track of the current administration’s track record on economic issues. Officials from his team say he’ll be addressing the struggles faced by small towns and rural America. This is particularly interesting since a larger chunk of Wisconsin voters in 2020 hailed from these very areas. Perhaps Biden hopes to charm the small-town crowd by offering a few empty promises of support while dodging questions about why rural communities have been struggling under his watch.
Since 2023 began, Biden has graced Wisconsin with five visits, though one could argue those trips have mostly been symbolic. His last appearance in Madison was right after a presidential debate, which many may recall ended with Biden waving goodbye to his own campaign. With Biden’s approval ratings on a nosedive, perhaps this latest visit is more about damage control than actual outreach, hoping to drum up support from demographics he can still count on, like older voters.
Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris is doing her own campaigning and has made headlines by launching her efforts from the Milwaukee suburb of West Allis just after Biden’s withdrawal. The duo plans to be in Pittsburgh for Labor Day festivities, but whether Harris will fly back to Wisconsin for the President’s visit remains up in the air. Even their campaign seems to lack coordination, with inquiries to her campaign left unanswered. This raises an eyebrow—how united can the ticket be when even scheduling is a challenge?
Biden returns to Wisconsin as Harris and Trump poll neck and neck in the state https://t.co/CK7bMVeI80
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) August 29, 2024
Not to be outdone, former President Donald Trump is making his own headlines with a scheduled town hall in La Crosse, Wisconsin, on the same day as Biden’s trip. With Tulsi Gabbard, a former congresswoman turned Trump supporter, moderating, it’s likely Trump will deliver a more engaging discussion than Joe’s tired talking points about infrastructure and prescription drug costs. Considering Wisconsin is a must-win battleground state, the stakes are high. With polls showing Trump slightly ahead in their matchup, and independent voters leaning towards Harris, the political tug-of-war in the Badger State is only heating up.
With Biden’s mixed results from past campaigns and the current state of affairs, it’s clear that the Wisconsin visit is more of a Hail Mary than a victory lap. Whether this trip will rejuvenate his hollow pledges remains uncertain, but one thing is for sure: the citizens of Wisconsin, like the rest of Americans, are wise to the games politicians play.
