Biden campaign: Milwaukee Democratic leaders slam Trump for trashing Wisconsin’s most diverse city

Today, State Representative Kalan Haywood and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley held a press conference slamming Donald Trump for insulting Milwaukee and highlighting the RNC’s abandoned outreach to minority communities. The press conference was held at a local brewery that is now selling their “(not so) Horrible City” IPA after Trump disparaged Milwaukee.

The press conference follows reports that Donald Trump called Milwaukee “horrible” in a closed-door meeting last week and then planned to avoid spending time in Wisconsin’s most diverse city by staying at Trump Tower in Chicago during the Republican National Convention.

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley speaking at the press conference

State Representative Kalan Haywood speaking at the press conference

“Here’s the truth: Donald Trump looks down on Milwaukee, on Wisconsin, on anyone who isn’t one of his billionaire donors. If he bothered to come to Milwaukee and actually listen to or respect voters here, he’d learn that we are fed up with his efforts to strip away reproductive rights from women, to raise health care costs for working families, to cut the Social Security and Medicare our moms and dads rely on,” said Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. “President Biden would never disparage this city. He loves us, he respects us, and more than that, he’s a decent man. A person of character, who wants to be a president for all Americans – including Wisconsinites. So, to Trump, I say, ‘You think our city is so horrible? This November, we’re going to send you packing – just like we did in 2020.’”

“Our Black and Latino communities are what make us strong – and this November, it will be us who decide the presidential election here in Wisconsin, and likely in the country as a whole. So, when Trump called our city ‘horrible’ in a closed-door meeting with MAGA Republicans last week, we knew what that was. Yet another racist dog whistle,” said State Representative Kalan Haywood. “Trump ignoring our communities was already insulting – and then he went and actually insulted our city. I’ll be voting for President Biden, and I know I’m not the only one who’s fed up with Trump’s racist attacks.”

“When I heard about Donald Trump calling my city ‘horrible’ last week, I was not just surprised, but truly shocked and angered by this. It’s enough that he is so terrible on all the issues that matter to me – protecting Social Security and Medicare, creating good jobs and strengthening the economy, safeguarding our democracy. But to also disrespect us? It’s just adding insult to injury,” said Sabrina Jordan, Biden-Harris 2024 volunteer. “I think he fears the coalition we formed in 2020 – the one that roundly rejected him and is the reason he lost that year. He recognizes the strength of the city he dismisses as ‘horrible,’ and is deeply afraid of it.”

While Trump tries to get away with spending as little time as possible in Wisconsin, the Biden-Harris campaign, Democrats, and the DNC are building the infrastructure to win with over 100 staff on the ground and 47 coordinated campaign offices across the state. Unlike Trump, Team Biden-Harris loves Milwaukee – for the first time in 20 years, the Democratic Coordinated HQ is based in Milwaukee, underscoring the importance of key constituencies in the city, including minority voters.