Here & Now

A Look At Presidential Candidate Visits In Wisconsin

Frederica Freyberg:

Wisconsin has a history of being a battleground state in presidential elections, but is it really a battle with one candidate doesn’t show up and still never trails in the polls. Reporter Zac Schultz has a timeline of the presidential visits and what it says about the race in Wisconsin.

Zac Schultz:

In the middle of summer, it appeared Wisconsin would resume its traditional place as a second tier battleground state. Not quite as important as Ohio or Florida, but definitely up for grabs.

Mike Pence:

Hello, Waukesha!

Zac Schultz:

Fresh off the GOP Convention, Mike Pence made Waukesha his first solo event as Donald Trump’s running mate. After rejecting Trump in the Wisconsin Presidential Primary in April, it appeared Wisconsin politicians were ready to get onboard.

Scott Fitzgerald:

This is the Trump train. This is it. Listen. This is what it sounds like coming down the tracks, right? Trump, Trump, Trump, Trump, Trump.

crowd:

Pence, Pence.

Scott Fitzgerald:

Trump, Trump, Trump, Trump.

crowd:

Pence, Pence.

Zac Schultz:

After the Democratic Convention, Tim Kaine was in Milwaukee.

Tim Kaine:

Friday afternoon in Milwaukee at a brewery? I mean, who says campaigning is tough?

Zac Schultz:

Wisconsin also rejected Hillary Clinton in the primary. So it was up to her running mate to reintroduce her to the state.

Tim Kaine:

Let’s go out, make history with Hillary Clinton.

Zac Schultz:

But by that same night, Trump had already lost his Wisconsin political support. He had spent the week fighting with the gold star Muslim family that criticized him at the Democratic Convention. When he campaigned in Green Bay, there was no Paul Ryan, no Scott Walker, no Ron Johnson. He was still talking about the primary election.

Donald Trump:

I didn’t quite eke it out. I thought I was going to.

Zac Schultz:

The Marquette Law School poll that came out the next week showed Clinton up 13 points with likely voters. When Mike Pence visited La Crosse a week later, he was not joined by any prominent Republicans either.

Mike Pence:

But now this movement is uniting this party, is uniting, and we’re going to elect Donald Trump.

Zac Schultz:

A few days later, Republicans across the country were urging the Republican National Committee to cut off funds to Donald Trump, but RNC chairman Reince Priebus said “No” and the Wisconsin native rallied the establishment because on August 16 Scott Walker was on stage in West Bend to introduce Donald Trump.

Scott Walker:

To make America great again. That, ladies and gentlemen, is the next president of the United States, Donald Trump!

(crowd cheering)

Donald Trump:

Thank you, Scott. Thank you.

(crowd cheering)

Zac Schultz:

By September, consecutive Marquette Law School polls showed the race tightening to just a three-point lead for Hillary Clinton.

Donald Trump:

And I’m back. And we’re going to win Wisconsin.

(crowd cheering)

Zac Schultz:

Walker and Paul Ryan found reasons not to join Trump in Waukesha, but the Clinton campaign must have noticed the polls, because they started sending campaign surrogates like Bernie Sanders, who won the state in the Primary and still has a lot of supporters here.

Bernie Sanders:

We will find overwhelmingly that Hillary Clinton is the candidate.

(crowd cheering)

Zac Schultz:

And Bill Clinton, who won the state twice in the ’90s.

Bill Clinton:

Hillary is the only person who has a record as senator, Secretary of State and first lady.

Zac Schultz:

But just as it appeared Wisconsin might regain battleground status, this happened.

Donald Trump:

And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab them by the p–.

Zac Schultz:

Donald Trump was scheduled to appear with Paul Ryan at Fall Fest.

Paul Ryan:

Thank you for coming out for Fall Fest, everybody. Thank you so much you guys.

Zac Schultz:

An image of party unity, but he was uninvited after the “Access Hollywood” tape surfaced.

Paul Ryan:

Hey, everybody. How about it, huh?

Zac Schultz:

Ryan was booed by Trump supporters.

Paul Ryan:

Let me just start off by saying there is a bit of an elephant in the room. And it is a troubling situation. I’m serious. It is.

Zac Schultz:

The next poll showed Clinton with a seven-point lead and no reason to campaign in Wisconsin. But just as it appeared the race was over, Clinton’s emails were back in the news and Wisconsin politicians were back on stage with Donald Trump.

Frederica Freyberg:

The next president of the United States of America.

Donald Trump:

As you know, the FBI has reopened its investigation into Hillary Clinton.

Zac Schultz:

At the same time, Clinton’s running mate, Tim Kaine, was back in Wisconsin.

Tim Kaine:

But also, Wisconsin, you guys are really important. You’re important politically.

Zac Schultz:

Whether or not we see Hillary Clinton campaign in Wisconsin, it’s clear this is still a battle ground state.

Tim Kaine:

We can do this, Wisconsin.

Donald Trump:

And make America great again. God bless you, everybody. Thank you. Thank you.