All eyes were on the debate stage for the first meeting between the current and former U.S. president in 2024, and UW-Milwaukee political science professor emeritus Mordecai Lee said neither candidate delivered. In Ashwaubenon near Lambeau Field, the local government is imposing new rules for short-term rental properties as Village Board Pres. Mary Kardoskee said there is demand for Airbnb properties for Green Bay Packers games and the 2025 NFL draft is pushing interest even higher.
 

Mordecai Lee
Political science professor emeritus, UW-Milwaukee

• Wisconsin is a key battleground state that will help determine the outcome of the November election. How voters in the state responded to the first presidential debate, which was held on June 27, could help tip the balance in a race that polling shows is evenly split between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. Given the lackluster performance by Biden and the rapid-fire repetition of stump speech falsehoods from Donald Trump during the debate, Lee called it a “trainwreck for both of them,” saying Trump was blustering and Biden was mumbling. Additionally, nothing stood out for Wisconsin voters.’
• Lee: “I didn’t hear anything last night that would resonate with Wisconsin voters, because they were always talking in generalities. They were never really talking about the issues that would be of concern to the half-dozen states that are in play, including Wisconsin. So I think that was a letdown. You would normally expect in a debate that there would be a couple of throwaway lines where they’re sort of subtly addressing Pennsylvanians, Michigan and Wisconsinites, but neither of them really did that.”

Village Pres. Mary Kardoskee
Village Board President, Ashwaubenon

• Houses near Lambeau Field are increasingly serving as short-term rentals — like Airbnb — properties when people visit for football games. In anticipation of the 2025 NFL draft in Green Bay, local media is reporting even modest single-family homes are listed for rent for as much as $18,000 per night. In response, the Village of Ashwaubenon put new regulation in place as of July 1, 2024. Kardoskee said these rules are designed to protect residents and neighborhoods from absentee investor-owners.
• Kardoskee: “For 100% of the time, Airbnb, rental homes – your neighborhood is dark. There’s not people out and about, and walking the dogs, and saying hello when they’re putting their garbage out in the morning, and kids running around on bicycles. So that’s what you lose — you lose the fabric of your community as you get more and more and more.”

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