Dire warnings, raucous crowd. Takeaways from Donald Trump's Juneau, Wisconsin, rally

JUNEAU – Former President Donald Trump rallied supporters in Dodge County for nearly two hours Sunday in his fourth Wisconsin event in nine days as he and Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris crisscross this critical swing state ahead of next month's election.

The rally at the Dodge County Airport followed events Trump held Tuesday in the Democratic strongholds of Dane County and Milwaukee and an event Sept. 28 in Prairie du Chien in southwestern Wisconsin.

On Sunday, Trump and other top Republicans framed the election in existential terms and urged supporters to vote.

"If we lose this election, this country is finished. I really believe that this country is finished," Trump told the crowd that a campaign official estimated to number 17,000.

With less than a month until Election Day, Trump encouraged people to return their mail-in absentee ballots "as soon as you can" or use in-person absentee voting opportunities, also known as early voting, beginning Oct. 22 in Wisconsin.

He called the large crowd gathered Sunday "the ultimate poll." Most polls show a one or two-point race between Trump and Harris in Wisconsin, according to ?RealClearPolling.com. The most recent Marquette Law School poll showed Harris with a 4-point edge in Wisconsin, within the survey's margin of error.

"They say that Wisconsin is probably the toughest of the swing states to win. I don't think so at all, we have got the biggest crowds," Trump said. "If we get just the people here to vote, I think we win."

Trump brings Wisconsin Republicans Eric Hovde, Ron Johnson and Bryan Steil on stage

Trump brought U.S. Senate candidate Eric Hovde, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson and U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil up on stage, joking "we have plenty of time. It's a Sunday, right?"

Johnson thanked Trump for his "new alliance" with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who suspended his independent presidential campaign and backed Trump in August.

"You are right about the enemy within. They are dividing us on purpose. They are destroying this nation. And by aligning with Bobby Kennedy, you are setting the example. The two of you set the differences aside," Johnson said.

Trump also took a brief swipe at Wisconsin's Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who has not yet announced whether he will run for reelection in 2026, though he has hinted at a third term.

"I do hear just one thing about him, he doesn't work hard. That's the only thing I hear about him," Trump said. "He's a lousy governor. I guess they'll work on that next cycle."

In the Marquette University Law School poll released last week, Evers' job approval was at 48% and disapproval was at 46%. That was the first time since November 2023 that his approval rating dipped below 50%.

Former Republican U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney's appearance with VP Kamala Harris in Ripon doesn't come up

On Thursday in Ripon, known as the birthplace of the Republican Party, Harris appeared with a high-profile Republican and Trump critic: former Congresswoman Liz Cheney.

The daughter of former Republican Vice President Dick Cheney made her first campaign appearance with the Democratic ticket in an effort to urge Republicans with doubts about Trump to cross over. She said Trump was "not fit to lead this good and great nation."

Trump's supporters who commented on Cheney's decision Sunday did not take kindly to it.

“She’s a RINO,” said Jim Elst, 61, of Oconomowoc, using the acronym for Republican In Name Only.

Although Cheney did not come up during the rally itself, in remarks before Trump took the stage, Eric Hovde and U.S. Rep. Scott Fitzgerald sought to flip the Democrats' narrative on defending democracy.

"I've been to Madison. I've been to liberal Madison, and they're going to show up," said Fitzgerald, who is from Juneau. "We need to do the same thing, because we are the firewall ... to keep this country independent and free. Don't believe this democracy talk."

"Let's listen to their whole spin on defending democracy," Hovde said, after critiquing President Joe Biden's handling of the withdrawal from Afghanistan and relations with Israel and China. "What the left is doing to our country, it is robbing us and eroding our great country. We have to take it back."

'Never Trump' Republicans in Wisconsin met with Harris, Cheney on Thursday

The Harris campaign continued flexing its endorsements from Republicans Sunday, hosting a call with reporters ahead of Trump's visit that included Mark Becker, the former chair of the Republican Party of Brown County, and former U.S. Rep. Joe Walsh from Illinois. Both pointed to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol as part of their opposition to Trump.

"You don't have to agree with (Harris) on everything. I certainly don't. But if you believe it's time to move forward together, vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz," Becker said. "Donald Trump has pushed me and so many others away from the party that I once believed in."

Walsh added that being a Republican against Trump "hasn't been easy. We put up with daily and weekly threats and challenges and hate, but no regrets. Our democracy is worth fighting for."

Becker added that he and others, including former conservative talk radio host Charlie Sykes, had a personal meeting with Harris and Cheney before the rally, which lasted 25 minutes. Becker said the 'Never Trump' movement had roots in Wisconsin, with Sykes and other statewide figures speaking out against Trump.

"I campaigned for Donald Trump (in 2016)," Walsh said. "Like many Republicans at the time, I thought he could bring a new direction to the country, but what he's done since then is nothing short of a tragedy for the Republican Party and for the country."

Trump attacks Harris over hurricane response, attacks 'fake media' more than usual

In a speech that repeated many of the points he made during his Waunakee and Milwaukee stops last week, Trump spent much of his time attacking Harris on topics like immigration, the war in Ukraine and inflation.

"This country is in big trouble. We're a failing nation. We're a nation in decline. We're a nation in distress. We're going to get it fixed very quickly," Trump said, calling Harris "worse than Biden."

Trump spent parts of his speech criticizing the administration's response to Hurricane Helene.

"Kamala Harris has left them stranded. This is the worst response to a storm or a catastrophe or a hurricane that we've ever seen," Trump said in part. "The federal government, the White House is doing nothing. They've abandoned us."

FEMA has a webpage debunking misinformation surrounding the hurricane response, confirming that FEMA has enough money for immediate response and recovery needs, and no funding has been diverted for international efforts or border-related issues.

Federal assistance for survivors has surpassed $137 million, FEMA said Sunday. Nearly 7,000 federal workers are deployed, including FEMA staff.

While Trump typically rails on the "fake media" at his rallies, he did so more than usual on Sunday. He said he would move the media area farther to the back if cameras weren't already at their maximum distance.

He repeated that voters will "only have to vote this one time," adding he has to be careful with the line. Some interpreted that statement as anti-democratic. He also claimed the media ?took his comment about "being a dictator" on his first day in office out of context.

"But after that, I never want to be a dictator," he said.

Rallygoers express desire to show him their support, list border and economy as top issues

Supporters ranged in age and hailed from different hometowns but listed similar concerns that were fueling their plans to vote for Trump: the southern U.S. border and the economy.

Sydney Roedl, 17, of Watertown, said she was looking forward to voting for Trump after she turns 18 just days before the election. She said the border and abortion were her top issues and that she had watched every night of the Republican National Convention that took place in Milwaukee in July.

Supporters also expressed a desire to show Trump they were backing him.

Louie LaPorte, 36, of Watertown said she had not been all that interested in politics until Trump was shot in an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July. On Saturday, Trump returned to the same rally site.

LaPorte said Trump has “literally taken a bullet for us.”

She said she had skipped church to come to the rally. There wasn’t anything specific she was hoping to hear from him.

“I am just here really to support him,” she said, again mentioning the attempted assassination.

Those who spoke with the Journal Sentinel didn’t plan to leave even if the rally continued past the beginning of the afternoon Green Bay Packers game, which started at 3:25 p.m.

Still, by the time Trump had been speaking for more than 90 minutes, some members of the crowd began leaving. Those who remained were still engaged in his speech.

Trump's speech at a few minutes shy of two hours ended just as the first quarter of the Packers-Los Angeles Rams game concluded.

(This story has been updated to add a photo or video and new information, and to fix a spelling.)

Alison Dirr can be reached at [email protected]. Hope Karnopp can be reached at [email protected].

Editor's note: The Journal Sentinel requested an interview with former President Donald Trump during his event Sunday in Juneau. The campaign declined to make him available. The Journal  Sentinel also sought interviews with Vice President Kamala Harris during her events in Ripon and Madison in recent days. The campaign declined to make her available.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Former President Donald Trump rallies supporters in Juneau, Wisconsin