Democrats gathered in Madison Tuesday evening to rally support for the Harris-Walz campaign.
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers teamed up with Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and local Democratic leaders for the ‘Driving Forward Blue Wall Governors Bus Tour’.
The three-day bus tour across Wisconsin started Monday with stops in Wausau, Stevens Point, then later Green Bay for an event with Governor Tim Walz.
Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway opened the event and set the tone for the evening, stressing the need to elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.
“We have to have a country that grows the middle class,” Rhodes-Conway said. “We have to have a country that supports folks being able to buy a home and get a good job and get job training and get an education.”
Present at the rally was Dane County Executive Jamie Kuhn.
Kuhn said she believes Harris and Walz will fight to ensure all Americans have access to good jobs, the ability to care for their families and the opportunity to put food on the table — things she claimed Trump failed to provide during his time in office.
Wisconsin State Representative Lisa Subeck echoed the urgency.
“This election is the most important election of our lives. And you know why that is? Because the stakes keep getting higher,” Subeck said.
Subeck continued to highlight the Democratic vision for the future, including protecting reproductive rights and ensuring access to affordable healthcare.
Wisconsin Sen. Diane Hesselbein discussed the specific policy proposals of the Harris-Walz campaign, including middle-class tax cuts and affordable housing initiatives.
“When they win, they want to give more than 100 million Americans a tax break with middle-class tax cuts, including a new child tax credit for up to $6000 for young families,” Hesselbien said.
DNC Chair Jamie Harrison dissected former President Donald Trump’s campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again”, by sharing an anecdote about his grandparents’ struggles while living during the Jim Crow era.
“Her [Kamala’] future looks like all of America, where we all have a seat at the table regardless of our background, regardless of our ethnicity, of our gender over our sexual orientation,” Harrison said. “We should all be able to live the American dream.”
Husband of U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg Chasten Buttigieg urged the audience to become volunteers and share their personal stories to connect with voters on a deeper level.
“Don’t be afraid to roll up your sleeves and have the hard conversations. I know it can be scary, but there is power in your vulnerability. There is power in storytelling,” Buttigieg said.
Evers took the stage to emphasize the importance of fair maps and the potential impact on key issues like Medicaid and BadgerCare expansion.
With new legislative district maps in place, the Democrats have the opportunity to take control of the State Assembly, which would allow for the expansion Medicaid and BadgerCare, Evers said.
Evers also spoke to Wisconsin’s critical role as a swing state.
“There are 320 million people in the country that are counting on us,” Evers said. “We are it. We are the ‘blue wall’.”
Gov. Whitmer praised Harris for her humble beginnings and relatability to the middle class.
Whitmer reminded the audience to stay motivated and engaged, emphasizing that every vote and volunteer effort influences the outcome of the election.
“We can decide the outcome of this election,” Whitmer said. “We can decide whether or not we as a nation are going to turn the page and finally start a new chapter in this country with Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the White House.”
The three-day bus tour across Wisconsin started Monday with stops in Wausau, Stevens Point, then later Green Bay for an event with Governor Tim Walz.
Tuesday, the tour visited Hudson, Eau Claire, La Crosse, Portage and ended in Madison.
The tour will conclude Wednesday morning in Mequon.
