As they poured out of the United Center arena Thursday night, Wisconsin delegates at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago were beaming.
Vice President Kamala Harris’ speech accepting her party’s nomination for president left them fired up, they said. The address capped off a week of appearances by celebrities, rising Democratic stars and even some former Republicans.
Harris used her moment in the national spotlight to pledge support for labor unions, restoring federal abortion protections and uniting the nation. She also attempted to speak to voters of other political persuasions by promising to “be a President for all Americans.”
“I will be a president who unites us around our highest aspirations. A president who leads and listens. Who is realistic, practical, and has common sense, and always fights for the American people, from the courthouse to the White House. That has been my life’s work,” said Harris.
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DNC attendees listen to Vice President Kamala Harris accept the Democratic nomination for president Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, at the United Center in Chicago, Ill. Angela Major/WPR
It was exactly the message Wisconsin delegates from around the state said they wanted to hear, with some promising to go back home and make the final push to get Harris and vice presidential nominee Tim Walz over the finish line.
“I will go door to door,” said John Krizek of Hudson. “I will talk to every neighbor I can find, and I’ll go to coffee shops, and I pledge my future. Because right now, I am radicalized in her support.”
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Krizek said Harris’ speech left him feeling “full of power.” As a former pledged delegate for President Joe Biden, he said he was nervous after Biden’s debate performance with former President Donald Trump. Krizek said it felt like “an anvil had been lifted off my chest” when Biden decided not to run for re-election.
“I felt Donald Trump was going to win and that he was going to destroy our democracy and our future,” said Krizek.
Attendees take selfies with balloons as they fall at the end of Vice President Kamala Harris’ speech at the DNC on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, at the United Center in Chicago, Ill. Angela Major/WPR
Krizek’s comments and others suggested a sense of relief that Biden dropped out of the running. But Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said he doesn’t see it that way.
“I don’t know if it’s a sense of relief,” said Johnson. “I think that there’s a sense of history that’s about to be made here, that we have our chance, an opportunity to elect the first woman president and the first Black woman president and get through those 60 some million cracks that Hillary Clinton put in that highest and hardest glass ceiling in 2016. We finally have the opportunity to shatter that.”
Harris’ vow to unite Americans and be a “president for all” was one of the things that excited Wisconsin Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein, D-Middleton. She said whenever she hears Trump talk it’s aimed at dividing citizens.
As for the notable rise in enthusiasm among Democrats, Hesselbein said she thinks it will trickle down to state legislative races, too.
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“I think with Kamala at the top of the ticket, you’re going to see so many people voting for Kamala and Democrats up and down the ticket,” Hesselbein said. “It’s going to be fantastic for all of us.”
Attendees celebrate as balloons fall at the end of the DNC on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, at the United Center in Chicago, Ill. Angela Major/WPR
Deiadra Queary, a delegate from Milwaukee, said she thought Harris spelled out the high stakes of the election.
“This is serious. It is a serious matter,” Queary said. “One wrong choice, and we’re living in a world that wouldn’t be good for us.”
The theme of the final night of Democrats’ weeklong rally was “For our Future.” While attacks aimed at former Republican President Donald Trump and GOP vice presidential nominee JD Vance featured prominently throughout the convention, Harris said the upcoming election is about more than defeating them this fall.
LaToya Bates of Mayville said that future-oriented message left her feeling hopeful.
“We see a candidate who has a plan, who is energized, who is excited — who’s exciting — who can articulate all of those questions and things that we may not have been able to form for ourselves but we were burdened and worried about, and we can see hope,” Bates said.
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Harris also focused her speech on economic concerns, saying that building out the middle class, and offering a middle class tax cut, will be a cornerstone of her presidency.
Ann Jacobs, a Milwaukee-area delegate and member of the Wisconsin Elections Commission, said that message suggested that Harris would represent all Americans.
“She’s standing up for the union workers. She’s standing up for the middle class. She’s standing up for the persons on Social Security. She’s standing up for the things we actually believe in,” Jacobs said.
At the start of her speech, Harris described the unusual path she took from supporting Biden’s candidacy to receiving his endorsement and launching her own campaign in just a month.
Jacobs said that that dramatic shift over the summer “changed the dynamic in a way no one’s ever seen before.”
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“That has electrified everybody, maybe for its novelty, maybe for its her youth and her enthusiasm,” she said. “Whatever it is, it changed everything.”
Vice President and Democratic Presidential Nominee Kamala Harris smiles as she wraps up her speech on the final day of the DNC on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, at the United Center in Chicago, Ill. Angela Major/WPR
With the convention in Chicago, there were fewer overtures to Wisconsin from the DNC’s main stage than there were during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. But a handful of Wisconsin Democrats took the stage throughout the week, including Lt. Gov. Sarah Rodriguez, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson and U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin.
Partly leaders also paid special attention to Wisconsin at the delegation’s daily meetings over breakfast, which featured political dignitaries from from vice presidential nominee Tim Walz to former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
A Marquette University Law School poll of Wisconsinites released Aug. 7 showed Harris and Trump in a dead heat, though more recent polling from a variety of other sources has shown Harris opening up a lead in the state.
Editor’s note: WPR’s Anya van Wagtendonk and Shawn Johnson contributed reporting.
Sprinkles early Wednesday ahead of a big warmup to end the week.
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REALLY AWESOME TO SEE HOW FAR HOPEFULLY THIS CAN TAKE US TO MORE EXPLORATION. YES, YES, 100%. AND THIS MORNING, OTHERWISE NOT PERFECT. IT’S NOT TOO BAD. WE’RE WAKING UP TO A FEW SHOWERS ACROSS SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN, BUT IF YOU DIDN’T LIKE THE WEATHER YESTERDAY, WE ARE GOING TO BE DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT BY THIS AFTERNOON. HIGH TEMPERATURES YESTERDAY TOPPED OUT CLOSE TO ABOUT 34 DEGREES. THAT’S WHERE WE’RE SITTING FOR A LOT OF SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN RIGHT NOW. WE’RE GOING TO WARM UP INTO THE 60S THIS AFTERNOON. YES, SOME OF US ARE WAKING UP TO MAYBE A FEW SNOWFLAKES OUT THERE. MOST OF US ARE WAKING UP JUST TO RAIN SHOWERS TO KICK OFF THE DAY TODAY, SOME DRIER CONDITIONS SOUTH OF I 94 IN OUR VIEWING AREA RIGHT NOW. BUT YOU CAN SEE THE ACTIVITY THAT’S STRETCHING BACK WEST OF MADISON. JUST A FEW LIGHT SHOWERS AND SPRINKLES ARE LOOKING POSSIBLE THROUGH ABOUT 10:00. THERE’S RAIN ALL THE WAY BACK CLOSE TO WATERLOO RIGHT NOW, SO IT’S NOT GOING TO STICK AROUND THE ENTIRE TIME. WE’LL HAVE DRY TIME BETWEEN NOW AND 10:00, BUT ON AND OFF SHOWERS ARE STILL POSSIBLE. MILWAUKEE HAS HAD SOME SHOWERS THIS MORNING. YOU CAN SEE THE RAINDROPS ON THE CAMERA LENS THERE IN OCONOMOWOC, AS WELL AS BROOKFIELD. DELAVAN SO FAR HAS STAYED PRETTY DRY AND RIGHT NOW IT LOOKS LIKE RAIN IS A LITTLE MORE LIKELY. CLOSER TO AND NORTH OF I-94. RAIN IN MILWAUKEE RIGHT NOW. THOSE CHANCES STICK AROUND INTO THE MORNING. BUT THE BIG STORY TODAY IT IS THE WARM UP. IT IS GOING TO BE NICE LATER THIS AFTERNOON. SHOWER CHANCES JUST ABOUT 9 OR 10:00. THEN THE REST OF YOUR WEDNESDAY IS GOING TO BE DRY OVERNIGHT TONIGHT. ANOTHER CHANCE FOR SOME RAIN THAT MOVES OUT BY THURSDAY. BUT THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY, ANOTHER RAIN CHANCE IS ON THE WAY. MOST OF OUR DAYLIGHT HOURS ARE LOOKING DRY 56 DEGREES ON SATURDAY, DRY FOR SATURDAY. THEN WE’RE TRACKING. WILL TRACK MORE RAIN CHANCES SUNDAY, MONDAY AND TUESDAY AND A BIG COOLDOWN AS WE HEAD INTO TUESDAY. BY WEDNESDAY OF NEXT WEEK, TEMPERATURES COULD BE ON THE CHILLY SIDE. ONCE AGAIN. HERE’S FUTURE CAST. NOTICE IT’S MAINLY RAIN THAT WE’RE SEEING, BUT I CAN’T RULE OUT A FEW SNOWFLAKES HERE. OVER THE NEXT HOUR OR SO. THEN JUST SOME SHOWERS FOR THE EARLY PART OF THE DAY. AND THEN SUNSHINE IS BACK. IT WILL BE WINDY, SOME GUSTS AS HIGH AS 35MPH, BUT THAT’S BRINGING IN TEMPERATURES IN THE 60S LATER TODAY. AND THEN A COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH AND RAIN CHANCES BUILD BACK IN REALLY FROM ABOUT 10:00 TONIGHT THROUGH ABOUT THREE, 4:00 IN THE MORNING. AND MOST OF YOUR THURSDAY IS DRY AND SUNNY. THEN NOTICE LATE THURSDAY EVENING INTO EARLY FRIDAY MORNING. THAT’S WHEN WE’LL TRACK OUR NEXT CHANCE FOR SOME RAIN. SO THE BOTTOM LINE, THE BIG CHANGE FROM WHAT WE SAW THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS IS THE TEMPERATURES WILL BE BACK IN THE 50S AND THE 60S TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY, AND REALLY THROUGH MOST OF THE SEVEN DAY FORECAST, WE HAVE RAIN CHANCES EVERY SINGLE DAY, BUT MOST OF THAT RAIN IS FALLING DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS, AND WE COULD HAVE A FEW SHOWERS LINGERING OR BUILDING IN IN THE EVENING OR LINGERING INTO THE MORNING. BUT FOR THE MOST PART, DAYLIGHT HOURS. AS WE HEAD THROUGH THE REST OF THE WORKWEEK IS GOING TO BE DRY, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME SHOWERS OUT THERE TO KICK OFF THE DAY. TODAY THERE COULD BE SOME WET ROADS FOR YOUR MORNING COMMUTE. RAIN CHANCES RETURN LATE THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT TONIGHT. SOME SHOWER CHANCES LATE TOMORROW INTO THURSDAY, BUT AGAIN MAINLY OVERNIGHT RAIN CHANCES. SO THOSE 50S AND 60S WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO GET OUTSIDE AND ENJOY 56 DEGREES ON SATURDAY. RIGHT NOW, SUNDAY 70. THAT’S FANTASTIC. AND IT DOESN’T LOOK LIKE A WASHOUT, BUT WE ARE TRACKING STORM CHANCES SUNDAY AND MONDAY. OH MY GOODNESS. HOPEFULLY WE’RE TURNING A CORNER, BUT IT IS STILL SO EARLY. FINGERS CROSSED. IT’S WILD TO THINK THAT WE PROBABLY HAVE SOME SNOWFLAKES AROUND RIGHT NOW AND WE’
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Impact Day: Wintry mix to 60s in SE Wisconsin
Sprinkles early Wednesday ahead of a big warmup to end the week.
Updated: 5:46 AM CDT Apr 8, 2026
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Early rain showers Wednesday morning, with parts of the area seeing a wintry mix as temperatures start near freezing. Showers move out later this morning. Skies will gradually clear through the afternoon, with highs warming into the low to middle 60s.Rain with a few thunderstorms return late Wednesday evening and night. Rain will move out by early Thursday morning. Thursday will be a bit cooler, but still mild with a mix of sun and clouds. Another chance for rain returns late in the evening, with shower chances lingering into early Friday. Most of Friday is expected to stay dry, with highs in the low 50s.Drier Saturday with seasonable temperatures in the low 50s. Looking ahead, a more active pattern returns with chances for storms Sunday and Monday as temperatures jump into the low 70s. Rain chances continue Tuesday, with afternoon highs dropping back into the low 50s.
MILWAUKEE —
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Early rain showers Wednesday morning, with parts of the area seeing a wintry mix as temperatures start near freezing. Showers move out later this morning. Skies will gradually clear through the afternoon, with highs warming into the low to middle 60s.
Rain with a few thunderstorms return late Wednesday evening and night. Rain will move out by early Thursday morning. Thursday will be a bit cooler, but still mild with a mix of sun and clouds. Another chance for rain returns late in the evening, with shower chances lingering into early Friday. Most of Friday is expected to stay dry, with highs in the low 50s.
Drier Saturday with seasonable temperatures in the low 50s. Looking ahead, a more active pattern returns with chances for storms Sunday and Monday as temperatures jump into the low 70s. Rain chances continue Tuesday, with afternoon highs dropping back into the low 50s.
OSHKOSH (WLUK) — The state defense lawyers association argues the judge made a mistake in allowing a Winnebago County jury to hear the case against Jason Lindemann, who crashed his power boat into a cruise boat.
Lindemann was sentenced to five months in jail and three years on probation and ordered to perform 150 hours of community service as a result of the July 9, 2022, crash between his powerboat and the On The Loos paddlewheel cruise boat. He was also ordered to pay $11,702.79 in restitution. The crash injured more than a dozen people.
Lindemann has appealed, claiming he drove his boat like “every boater does” and that the evidence doesn’t support the convictions. Prosecutors replied it believes Lindemann’s conviction should be upheld. Lindemann’s reply brief due is due April 14, then the appeals court will review the case and issue a ruling. That’s expected to take several months.
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Surveillance video of a July 9, 2022, boat crash on the Fox River in Oshkosh. (Courtesy Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office)
On Tuesday, the Wisconsin Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers filed what’s known as a ‘friend of the court’ brief, offering its input on the issue of jury selection.
Brief from the Wisconsin Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers arguing for Jason Lindemann’s conviction in an Oshkosh boat crash to be overturned.
Click here to view the PDF file
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It noted the extensive publicity on case, from the day of the crash, onwards.
“WACDL submits that a careful analysis of precedent, and a realistic assessment of the pretrial publicity at issue, require that prejudice be presumed. Lindemann’s community was sufficiently against him that drawing his jury from Winnebago County violated his due process rights. The circuit court thus erred in denying his request for a change of venue, and reversal is warranted,” wrote attorney Megan Sanders.
The brief also argues the judge’s faith in voir dire — the juror screening and selection process — was “unfounded,” given the case’s publicity.
It argues the convictions should be overturned.
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“There is an effective solution for the due process problem at issue here. Case law supports it, Lindemann sought it, and the State — after explaining its concerns about proceeding in Winnebago County — declined to contest his request. Under these circumstances, and with no cogent rationale for keeping the case in Oshkosh, the circuit court erred in denying Lindemann’s motion for a change of venue,” the brief states.
A pair of John Blackwell’s former teammates wasted no time expressing how they felt about his departure.
The Wisconsin Badgers men’s basketball squad took a huge hit on April 6 when its star point guard announced he’d be entering the transfer portal.
Blackwell posted a farewell message that received mixed reactions, but both Nolan Winter and Austin Rapp expressed their gratitude for getting to play alongside the Michigan native.
“My brother!! Coming into college with you, it’s meant everything to do it by your side. Through all the ups and downs we went through, I won’t forget a second of any of it… go do what you do JB. For life,” Winter wrote.
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Rapp added, “Gonna miss big bro, appreciate this year with you John Blackwell.”
Winter has been with the Badgers since the 2023-24 season, the same year Blackwell joined the program. Rapp, the Portland transfer, only was able to spend one year with Wisconsin’s guard who averaged just shy of 20 points per game.
Badgers fans are still awaiting decisions from Winter and Rapp, though neither has indicated they’ll be continuing their collegiate careers elsewhere.
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