Frederica Freyberg:

If Wisconsin is considered a critical battleground in November’s presidential election, how central is the central and northern part of the state toward swinging the election? President Trump carried the 7th Congressional District which encompasses northern Wisconsin, by 20 points in 2016, while winning the state by a razor-thin one percentage point. The slightest swing could matter. We are joined now by someone who knows the 7th District very well. Kevin Hermening is the former Marathon County Republican Party chair. Thank you for joining us.

Kevin Hermening:

Thank you for the invitation.

Frederica Freyberg:

How important is your region to the outcome of this presidential election, in your mind?

Kevin Hermening:

I think the 1% equated to about 52,000 votes if I’m not mistaken. That was statewide in 2016. Marathon County, which is right in the heart of the 7th District, not geographically but certainly population-wise, accounted for 26,000, or half of that differential for the president. It appears by everything that I am seeing across the region as I look at yard signs and apparent enthusiasm, not that the Democrats aren’t enthusiastic about defeating President Trump but the yard signs, the appearances on behalf of the candidates and others have certainly indicated to me that it’s likely to result in another big win for the president here in the Marathon County and central Wisconsin area.

Frederica Freyberg:

As to that razor-thin margin, I want to say it was even less than that, something less than 23,000. So hence our battleground status.

Kevin Hermening:

Yes.

Frederica Freyberg:

You have said that there is no way Joe Biden wins where you are. But what if he even nips into the Republican numbers there?

Kevin Hermening:

Well, that’s a great question, and actually you make an excellent point, because if the Democrats are able to increase their numbers in other parts of the state, it means that Marathon County is going to have to hold its own from last time and perhaps even boost the numbers. So that’s something that former Congressman Sean Duffy was very well-versed on and played a big role in and Congressman Tiffany, newly elected this spring understands that as well. That’s why you’re seeing so much attention being paid here. That’s why there is a local and in fact in some of the areas in the 7th District there are Trump headquarters and staffers who are on the scene trying to turn out the vote and identify those critical undecided voters. They’re the ones who are really going to decide.

Frederica Freyberg:

Now, you ran for office before in that area. How has that district changed so vastly over these years?

Kevin Hermening:

It’s very different from the 1980s when I ran for Congress against Congressman Dave Obey, who served for more than 40 years. The reason is it’s so different is that the population has shifted. The population has gotten older. We’ve seen a lot of manufacturing jobs leave the area over the last 35 to almost 40 years now. Perhaps most critically of all, redistricting has played a big role in why it is so clear that the 7th District remains Republican. Again whether we can hold those numbers or not, that’s our goal on behalf of the president.

Frederica Freyberg:

The Democratic Convention showed Joe Biden as empathetic, which the Republican Convention, as you know, also sought to portray in Donald Trump. In your mind, is that the defining character for the next president in these uncertain and tumultuous times?

Kevin Hermening:

Well, I’m not hearing a lot about that as an important or critical issue, at least on the Republican side. The Democrats perhaps are grasping at whatever opportunities they can to paint the president as not being particularly empathetic. But it seems to me that a return to the strong economy earlier this year that the president had presided over played a big role in that, as well as whether or not we can remain a strong presence on the world stage.

Frederica Freyberg:

Kevin Hermening, we need to leave it there. Thanks very much.

Kevin Hermening:

Thank you. Have a great day.