Milwaukee, WI

Takeaways from Donald Trump’s campaign stops in Wisconsin’s liberal bastions

Published

1 year ago

October 1, 2024

Takeaways from Donald Trump’s campaign stops in Wisconsin’s liberal bastions

Just over a month before Election Day, former President Donald Trump made stops Tuesday in Wisconsin’s two Democratic strongholds — Dane County and Milwaukee.

The events come after top state Republicans, including former Gov. Tommy Thompson, urged the Trump campaign to include those communities in its efforts to win this critical swing state in November.

Despite their deep blue politics, the state’s two largest population centers are also home to a lot of Republicans due to their sheer size.

A Journal Sentinel analysis, for instance, found that there are more GOP voters in the city of Milwaukee than in any other community in Wisconsin, though they differ in a number of ways from Republicans in other parts of the state.

Second gentleman Doug Emhoff also campaigned in Milwaukee Tuesday.

The events come just three days after Trump visited Prairie du Chien where he spent much of his time criticizing Vice President Kamala Harris over immigration policy.

More: Live updates: After Dane County speech, Trump’s Milwaukee event is closed to public. Emhoff speaks at Milwaukee manufacturer.

The campaigns of Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Harris along with their surrogates have been holding seemingly nonstop events across Wisconsin in an effort to win voters in this critical swing state on Nov. 5.

Here are takeaways from Trump’s visit to Waunakee and Milwaukee on Tuesday:

Trump’s Waunakee speech was billed as economic address, focused more on other issues

Trump spoke for about an hour and 15 minutes in Waunakee, wrapping up his speech at 3:20 p.m.

His campaign previewed the speech as one that would critique the current Democratic administration’s economic policy, and he opened by announcing, “This is a speech on economics and bringing back business and things.”

But he spoke for more than 30 minutes before touching on economic issues — aside from a brief tangent during which he said he wouldn’t trust Harris or Democratic President Joe Biden “to run a lemonade stand.”

The bulk of his speech, before he turned to economic topics, was spent referencing escalating tensions in the Middle East, falsely characterizing Harris’ replacement of Biden as the Democratic presidential nominee a “coup,” and criticizing the current administration’s immigration policy and violent crime.

“These people are grossly incompetent, and now we have them in charge of potentially World War III,” he said of Biden and Harris. “If I win, we will have peace in the world again. … If Kamala … gets four more years the world goes up in smoke.”

Trump argued that, while the economy is an important issue, “the hardest thing we have to do is solve the crime problem.”

Immigration comments follow a similar theme at Prairie du Chien rally

Trump spoke Saturday in Prairie du Chien, a city of about 5,500 people along the Mississippi River, where he delivered what he described as a “dark” speech referencing a case in which Prairie du Chien police say a man with ties to Tren De Aragua, a Venezuela-based transnational criminal organization, sexually assaulted a woman and attacked her daughter earlier this month

Police have said the victim and suspect knew each other, which is common in sexual assault cases, and that they have not come into contact with other members of the gang. According to the criminal complaint, the suspect and victim had been living together and dating for three weeks.

He referenced that case again on Tuesday.

Economic remarks focus on inflation, tax policy, energy

A Marquette University Law School poll released last month showed that the economy was the top issue for Wisconsin voters, with 41% ranking it as their first priority. The same poll found that to be true among 42% of independent voters.

Addressing a crowd of about 500 (with a reported 4,500 supporters outside the facility) at Dane Manufacturing, Trump pledged to cut taxes on American manufacturers to 15%, “but only if you make the product here.” Otherwise, he said, “we’re going to use the power of the tariff.”

He also pledged, if elected, to bring energy prices in the U.S. down by 50% within a year of taking office, declaring the country has “liquid gold” by way of “more oil and gas under our feet than anybody else.”

Other themes include ‘Full Metal Jacket,’ ‘foul language,’ Brittney Griner

Trump’s disjointed remarks bounced from topic to topic separate from an economic message.

Trump repeated criticism of a prisoner swap involving WNBA star Brittney Griner and arms dealer Viktor Bout. Bout, the so-called “merchant of death,” was exchanged in a 2022 prisoner swap for Griner, who had spent nearly a year in Russian captivity.

He again effectively accused Griner of not being patriotic enough, saying she “tied her shoes” during the national anthem. Griner played for Team USA in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, winning gold both times. Then, at the 2024 Paris Olympics, as Griner stood on the medal stand with her third gold medal draped around her neck, tears streamed down her face as she stood for the national anthem.

Last year, Bout urged Trump to seek refuge in Russia, saying he believed his life was “in peril.”

The former president also spent time arguing the 1987 film “Full Metal Jacket” should have received Academy Awards. That tangent weaved its way into an aside noting that Rev. Franklin Graham prefers Trump tell his stories without “foul language.”

“He’s wrong about that. It’s not as good,” he said.

Trump’s visit to Milwaukee’s Discovery World follows visit by VP Kamala Harris earlier in election cycle

Trump’s visit to Discovery World follows one by Harris in May, before President Joe Biden dropped out of the race and she ascended to the top of the Democratic ticket.

In that visit, Harris also focused on the economy as part of an “economic opportunity tour.”

But, unlike Trump, she argued that the Biden-Harris Administration’s economic policies have helped Americans and, in particular, addressed disparities that affect Black Americans and business owners.

State Republicans praise Trump for campaigning in blue areas

Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson was the most prominent voice encouraging Trump to campaign in Madison and Milwaukee, considering it one of the four keys to winning Wisconsin as a Republican. Trump praised Thompson as “the dean” while speaking in Waunakee.

“You have to go where the votes are. You have to go where the opposition is. You have to come into Dane County, Milwaukee County and southwestern Wisconsin,” Thompson said. “Dane County has the third-most Republican votes in the state of Wisconsin, and all we have to do is increase them.”

“Democrats,” he said, “get the hell out of our way.”

At a panel discussion before Trump spoke in Milwaukee, Republican U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil thanked the former president for “campaigning in two of the most blue areas of our state.”

“We as conservatives, we as Republicans, we as supporters of President Trump, know that we have the answers to the challenges that our country faces, that our communities face. In particular, blue cities across the country, and the challenges that they face,” Steil said.

Evers says Wisconsin families will reject Trump in November

In a statement released Tuesday morning, Democratic Gov. Tony Evers said, “I know Wisconsin families, and they’re going to reject (Trump) again in November.”

“As president, Donald Trump was a disaster for Wisconsin, and we haven’t forgotten. A second term would be a heck of a lot worse — Trump’s extreme Project 2025 agenda would hurt working families, cut Social Security and Medicare, dismantle support for public education across the country and more,” Evers said. “Vice President Harris is the only candidate in this race fighting to lower costs, cut taxes and invest in Wisconsin’s future.”

Emhoff also focused his Tuesday visit on the economy, addressing about 100 people at Diamond Discs International, a small manufacturing business in Milwaukee. He also met with minority small business owners.

This story will be updated.

Jessie Opoien can be reached at jessie.opoien@jrn.com. Alison Dirr can be reached at adirr@jrn.com. Mary Spicuzza can be reached at mary.spicuzza@jrn.com. Hope Karnopp can be reached at hkarnopp@gannett.com.

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Milwaukee, WI

I am disappointed that Dan O’Donnell is still on the air | Letter

Published

9 hours ago

March 7, 2026

Press Room

I am disappointed that Dan O’Donnell is still on the air | Letter

WISN radio host Dan O’Donnell casually jokes about harming an elected official. This is hypocrisy and moral bankruptcy. Language like this does not belong in any civil society.

Letters to the Editor
| Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

I am appalled by WISN-AM host Dan O’Donnell’s recent social media posts, in which he suggested “taking out the Supreme Leader of Minnesota” and shared a mocking image of Gov. Tim Walz (“Milwaukee radio host says to ‘take out’ Gov. Tim Walz,” March 4).

This is not political commentary — it is dangerous, irresponsible, and disgusting.

Even more outrageous, O’Donnell has publicly defended pardons for convicted or alleged fraudsters, including high-profile cases from the Trump administration, yet he casually jokes about harming an elected official. This is hypocrisy and moral bankruptcy. Language like this does not belong in any civil society.

Our community deserves media voices that uphold decency, honesty and public safety, not ones that normalize threats and spread fear. I demand that leaders and media outlets reject this kind of rhetoric and make it clear that it will not be tolerated.

Laura J. Nigh, Wauwatosa

I am disappointed Dan O’Donnell is still on air at WISN

I am disappointed that Dan O’Donnell is still on the air. I further ask the Milwaukee County District Attorney to charge him for calling for violence against a public official. His apology is not enough.

David Schmitz, Baileys Harbor

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Write: Letters to the editor, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 330 E. Kilbourn Avenue, Suite 500, Milwaukee, WI, 53202. Fax: (414)-223-5444. E-mail: jsedit@jrn.com or submit using the form that can be found on the on the bottom of this page.

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Milwaukee, WI

Arizona Diamondbacks 0/2, Chicago White Sox/Milwaukee Brewers 6/6

Published

21 hours ago

March 6, 2026

Press Room

Arizona Diamondbacks 0/2, Chicago White Sox/Milwaukee Brewers 6/6

Record 7-7. Change on 2025: +0.5. 5-inning record: 4-9-1.

The D-backs found themselves swept on both sides of today’s split squad double-bill, with fairly weak line-ups in both games. Starting off at Salt River Fields, a pair of three-run homers did all the damage as the White Sox blanked the D-backs 6-0. They were allowed by Landon Sims and Joe Ross; the latter came in to relieve Daniel Eagan with two outs and two on in the second, and didn’t. The best of the relievers for Arizona was likely Andrew Hoffman who struck out three batters in a scoreless seventh. The Diamondbacks were held to four hits and two walks: Angel Ortiz had the only extra-base hit, a double, as the team went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position.

Over in Maryvale, the team did at least pick up a five-inning win, leading 2-1 at that point. But the Brewers scored five unanswered runs to beat the D-backs 6-2. Mitch Bratt started, and walked four over 2.2 innings, but gave up just one run on one hit, with two strikeouts. Bryce Jarvis tossed two scoreless, but Juan Burgos, John Curtiss and Taylor Rashi allowed five runs on six hits and two walks, over their three frames. Gavin Conticello and Demetrio Crisantes each went 2-for-3, while DH Manuel Pena had a homer and drew a walk. LuJames Groover drove in Arizona’s other run with a groundout.

Tomorrow, it’s back to one game: that comes at Salt River Fields against the Giants, with a 1:10 pm first pitch, and Kohl Drake starting for the Diamondbacks.

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Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee oversight body asks for more police pursuit policy changes

Published

1 day ago

March 6, 2026

Press Room

Milwaukee oversight body asks for more police pursuit policy changes

The Fire and Police Commission is mulling a recommendation the Milwaukee Police Department amend its police chase policy and restrict chases for reckless driving.
The current recommendation draft calls for a ban on chases for reckless driving after an attempted traffic stop. That will now move to a committee for further changes.
The draft recommendation comes after department modified the policy to remove speeding as a sole justification for chases. Prior, speeding was allowed to be considered when evaluating reckless driving

A Milwaukee oversight body is pushing for further restrictions on how the city’s police decide to chase vehicles, but isn’t ready to move those forward yet.

At its March 5 meeting, the city’s Fire and Police Commission mulled a recommendation the Milwaukee Police Department no longer chase drivers for reckless driving after an attempted traffic stop and stop other chases for reckless driving if it raises danger to the public. The department’s pursuit policy has been a point of contention for years and has come under intense scrutiny after nine people died from police chase crashes in 2025.

But that recommendation was tabled and sent to commission committee for further discussion, after concerns it needed to be further tweaked and receive more police department input.

“I’m trying to find incremental changes we can make to reduce chases,” said Commissioner Bree Spencer, who sponsored the recommendation.

Spencer said she was hesitant to push for policy changes that were too sweeping or too permissive. She said that had happened in years past, when pursuits were heavily restricted in 2010 and then later opened up in 2017 in response to reckless driving, following a then-Fire and Police Commission order.

As has become the norm at the commission’s meetings, a lengthy public comment period was held where some were critical of the proposed changes. Some called for dashcam footage of pursuit-related deaths to be released, as policy requires in officer shootings, and for the city’s costs of police chase-related lawsuits to be publicized.

“Police chases do not keep our community safe,” Angela Lang, the co-executive director of Black Leaders Organizing Change, said during public comment.

The Fire and Police Commission’s proposed recommendation comes after the department voluntarily removed speeding as a permissible reason to chase someone who is recklessly driving. However, that move was met coldly by members of the public and the commission, which is the oversight body for the department, who said it didn’t go far enough.

Generally, department policy considers pursuits “justified” under six circumstances, among those being when an occupant is involved in a violent felony.

Milwaukee Assistant Chief Craig Sarnow said the department was content with its previous change, when commissioners asked him for feedback on the proposed recommendation.

Both the Fire and Police Commission’s drafted recommendation and police department’s change focus on reckless driving chases. Those make up an overwhelming amount of all chases that officers in Milwaukee make – with officers citing reckless driving as the initiating reason in 742 of the 970 chases in 2025, according to police data.

The Fire and Police Commission’s recommendation is also the first time the body has exercised that power since state legislation, 2023 Wisconsin Act 12, was passed. Before that legislation was passed, the commission held the ability to outright change police department policy, but the law shifted that to the city’s Common Council.

Some have called for the Fire and Police Commission to more aggressively issue recommendations like these.

The recommendation will now move to the commission’s Oversight and Accountability Committee. The decision was made after commissioners said they sought more time to tweak the language and for police to provide input.

License plate reading camera use scrutinized

The department’s use of license plate reading cameras, a system known as Flock, came under scrutiny from many attendees at the meeting as well, who called for the city to ban it. Many noted the recent criminal charges brought against Josue Ayala, an officer who prosecutors say improperly used the system to track a former partner and another person.

Ayala resigned and is facing a misdemeanor charge of attempted misconduct in public office. Ayala had previously faced claims of lying and excessive force but was not placed on a Milwaukee County District Attorney’s list of officers with a history of dishonesty, bias or integrity concerns until recently.

That was despite, in 2022, a federal public defender issuing a complaint against Ayala, saying he exaggerated so much in his testimony and reports that it almost seemed “like a compulsion.”

Milwaukee police officials like Heather Hough, the department’s chief of staff, said they were never made aware of that previous concern against Ayala.

“Had we received the information from defense counsel about these concerns they would have been investigated,” she said in an email to the Journal Sentinel.

But that goes against the role of the defense bar, outside experts and defense attorneys locally told the Journal Sentinel. Prosecutors have the ethical duty to share potential Brady material and serve the public, whereas defense attorneys’ obligation is to their client.

Milwaukee police began using Flock cameras in 2022. MPD has a $182,900 contract with Flock for the use of the technology. That contract is active through January 2027 and passed without requiring approval from member of the city’s Common Council, a point criticized by attendees.

The scrutiny against Flock came despite it not being on the meeting’s agenda. Attendees held signs that said things like “GET THE FLOCK OUTTA HERE” and called for the city to be “de-Flocked.”

David Clarey is a public safety reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He can be reached at dclarey@gannett.com.

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