US Sen. Tammy Baldwin on the 2024 Campaign for US Senator

Frederica Freyberg:
Wisconsin Democratic U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin had a speaking spot at the DNC on its final night. She’s running for reelection against Republican challenger Eric Hovde. Senior political reporter Zac Schultz caught up with Senator Baldwin late week.

Zac Schultz:
Give me a sense of how much the race has changed in the last five weeks since Kamala Harris has been promoted to the top of the ticket?

Tammy Baldwin:
Yeah, so it’s truly been a new beginning for the party and a new beginning for our nation and you feel that energy. I felt it when I was able to join Vice President Harris in West Allis, Wisconsin, in her first public appearance after becoming the presumptive nominee. And I saw that in Eau Claire when she introduced her running mate to the swing states on her second stop. And I can just tell from all the Wisconsinites that I’m talking to, and this isn’t necessarily in partisan, but just that people feel a new energy. And so that’s very, very exciting.

Zac Schultz:
How do you balance your schedule during a week like this when your party’s in Chicago, but you’re choosing to travel around Wisconsin for the first part of the week?

Tammy Baldwin:
Absolutely. Well, I’m engaged in what we’re calling the “In Your Corner” tour and going to every corner of the state. Really wanted to take the energy that we were watching at the convention but bring it to the grassroots of the state. And as you know, when I travel, I don’t just go to blue counties. I’m going to red counties, deep red counties. I’m going to rural areas, suburban areas, urban areas. But really to meet people where they are and bring the energy that we’re all feeling to our communities across the state.

Zac Schultz:
What do you think the Walz and Harris ticket, in combined with your campaign and new legislative districts for the Assembly and some of the state Senate, will mean when it comes to Democratic turnout up and down the ballot?

Tammy Baldwin:
Yeah. Well, let’s start with the new maps. I am so delighted that we now have fair maps, because I’ve seen the consequences of gerrymandered, especially deeply gerrymandered maps. That means in large parts of Wisconsin there hasn’t been a competitive race for state Assembly or state Senate in years. And what that means is that there’s not a Democrat doing the doors. That’s how you win local races. You actually knock on doors. You have the face-to-face conversations. You ask people what they’re concerned about. You talk about what your platform is. And so there’s a lot of voters who may have chosen in past elections to stay home because they see only one choice on the ballot for state Senate and for state Assembly. That’s changed this year. So there’s a part of the energy in Wisconsin that’s bubbling up, as well as of course, this energy that you’re seeing bubble down. And I just think that that’s a great combination to get people really engaged as voters.