Recap: Donald Trump speaks in Dane County and Milwaukee, while Doug Emhoff speaks at Milwaukee manufacturer
(This story has been updated to include new information.)
Former president Donald Trump returned to Wisconsin Tuesday, making campaign stops in Dane County and Milwaukee. Second gentleman Doug Emhoff also spoke in Milwaukee Tuesday afternoon on behalf of Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign.
Trump delivered remarks at Dane Manufacturing in Waunakee, about 13 miles north of Madison, and then spoke in a closed-to-the-public event at Discovery World, a science museum along Lake Michigan, in Milwaukee.
Emhoff spoke at Diamond Discs International, a small manufacturing business in Milwaukee. Harris last held a rally in Wisconsin Sept. 20 in Madison.
Here's a recap of the day:
Trump ends his remarks to the media in Milwaukee
Trump wrapped up his event in Milwaukee around 7 p.m., about an hour before the vice presidential debate starts.
He took questions from reporters for about 45 minutes after giving remarks that were similar to the points he made in Waunakee.
— Hope Karnopp
Trump hints at potential rallies at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Green Bay
While speaking at Discovery World, Trump hinted his team is looking at holding a rally at Fiserv Forum, which hosted the Republican National Convention in July. Harris also held a rally at the home of the Milwaukee Bucks during the Democratic National Convention.
"The building was beautiful," Trump said. "I love Milwaukee. We had such a great convention here. They treated us so well. I also like the result. If I didn't get the right result, I probably wouldn't like Milwaukee. I got a great result."
Trump added he'll announce a rally in Green Bay soon, potentially the day before a Green Bay Packers game. He also hinted at a third event that would be similar to the press conference format of the Tuesday night event in Milwaukee, which was ultimately closed to the public.
— Hope Karnopp
U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil praises Trump for campaigning in blue areas
At a panel discussion before Trump spoke in Milwaukee, Republican U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil praised 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.
Steil said he attended the opening of a GOP Hispanic outreach center in Milwaukee this weekend. The state party announced the new center after the national party abandoned its own center in the city early last year.
Steil said voters who were excited to vote for Trump connected with issues like inflation, school choice, crime and national defense.
Steil represents the southeastern portion of Wisconsin, including Racine and Kenosha. He is running for reelection and faces Democratic opponent Peter Barca, who once held the seat.
— Hope Karnopp
Speakers focus on school choice ahead of Trump visit to Discovery World
A panel of speakers that included advocates, elected officials, students and a school principal spoke ahead of Trump’s arrival at Discovery World in Milwaukee.Their comments focused on school choice, with students speaking to the opportunities their schools have offered them.“I can't tell you how many people I talk to, how many moms and dads I talk to about the importance of school choice, a policy championed by conservatives, championed by Republicans, championed by President Trump,” Steil said.
“And it's a policy that says moms and dads should have a choice to choose the school that's best for their child, to make sure that their child is in an environment where there they can succeed.”— Alison Dirr
Unclear why Trump's Milwaukee event is closed to public
While general admission tickets were available for Trump's appearance at Discovery World, the public was ultimately not allowed entry. Members of the media were let in for a press conference-like event, though some supporters lingered outside in the afternoon, hoping to be admitted.
A spokesman for the U.S. Secret Service told the Journal Sentinel it wasn't tracking any security issues and any changes to the event format were likely a decision made by the campaign. The campaign declined to comment.
The Secret Service noted Trump is receiving a heightened level of Secret Service protection and "there are significant security measures put into place for tonight's event."
— Hope Karnopp
Doug Emhoff addresses crowd at Diamond Disc International
Second gentlemen Doug Emhoff addressed about 100 people at Diamond Disc International, saying Harris is “a capitalist, pro-growth.”
“She knows the limitations of government,” Emhoff said, adding that Harris looks for “pragmatic solutions.”
Emhoff also criticized Trump for “ducking” a second debate.
“She kicked his ass at that first debate,” he said.
— Ricardo Torres
Diamond Disc president endorses Harris
Diamond Discs International president Ugo Nwagbaraocha endorsed Harris for president, saying a Harris presidency would benefit businesses like his.
Nwagbaraocha said Trump “did nothing” for his business and called the Foxconn project in Mount Pleasant “Weasel-conn.”
— Ricardo Torres
Trump ends Waunakee speech around 3:20 p.m.
Trump spoke for about an hour and 15 minutes in Waunakee, wrapping up his speech at 3:20 p.m.
"Remember, early mail-in voting is underway," Trump told the crowd. "So vote, vote, vote. You got to get going."
Trump is scheduled to appear at Discovery World at 5 p.m. It's not yet clear whether he's making the hour-and-a-half drive or traveling by plane to Milwaukee.
— Hope Karnopp
Trump supporters line up outside Discovery World, hoping event remains public
Trump supporters lined up outside Discovery World early Tuesday afternoon even as rumbles of the event’s closure to the public were circulating among the crowd.
Bradley Kahn, 35, of Chicago said he had tried to attend a Trump event in 2015 but it was canceled. He’s been hoping to see him since, and Milwaukee was a close destination.
He wanted to get a selfie Tuesday.
“If it gets canceled today, I would be pretty upset,” he said.
He was hoping to hear from Trump about election strategy, particularly immigration policy and employment.
Ahead in the line, Kelly McAuliffe said she and her family members arrived at Discovery World from the Chicago suburbs around 5 a.m.
She said the event invitation said there was limited space but that, since she arrived, police had over time moved attendees back from the front door.
By early afternoon, the line of a few dozen people stretched west on the sidewalk between Discovery World and the Milwaukee Art Museum.
She was no longer optimistic that she and other supporters would be getting into the event.
— Alison Dirr
Doug Emhoff will visit Diamond Discs International
Second gentleman Doug Emhoff and former Rhode Island governor Gina Raimondo will deliver remarks at Diamond Discs International, a small manufacturing business in Milwaukee.
They'll also get a tour of the building.
— Ricardo Torres
Doug Emhoff lands in Milwaukee
Trump again criticizes prisoner swap involving WNBA star Brittney Griner
Trump on Tuesday again criticized 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.
Trump again essentially 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.”
— Mary Spicuzza
Trump falsely claims immigrants are being signed up to vote
While touching on immigration, Trump claimed immigrants are being registered to vote, a claim PolitiFact has debunked before.
"There's a reason why they let all these people in, because they want to get them to vote," Trump said.
Trump didn't mention a Republican-led referendum question on the Nov. 5 ballot in Wisconsin, which aims to prevent noncitizens from voting in local elections in the future. Some cities in the U.S. do allow that, but nowhere in Wisconsin does.
The Wisconsin Elections Commission has said it knows of only four alleged cases of voter fraud related to citizenship since 2015. Wisconsin's voter registration form includes a checkbox confirming the voter is a U.S. citizen.
— Hope Karnopp
Trump calls Tommy Thompson 'the dean'
Trump shouted out former Wisconsin governors Scott Walker and Tommy Thompson, who also spoke at the rally Tuesday. Trump called Thompson "so respected" and "the dean."
Trump said Thompson called him during his 2016 campaign, expressing doubts about Trump's ability to win Wisconsin and telling him to campaign in other battlegrounds.
"He said, 'Here's a deal. If I think you're going to win, I'll call you back,'" Trump said. "He called me about three weeks later. He said, 'It's time to come up. You're going to win this thing.'"
— Hope Karnopp
Trump falsely claims there was a 'coup' when Harris became Democratic nominee
Trump again falsely claimed that there was a “coup” when Harris replaced President Joe Biden as the Democratic presidential nominee.
He added that Walker “says it was a coup,” and also mentioned Thompson as he repeated his claims that “it was a coup.”
But a coup, or coup d’etat, is defined as a sudden, violent and unlawful seizure of power, experts say. So while Biden’s exit from the race was unusual, experts say it does not amount to a “coup."
Trump’s comments undermining confidence in this year's presidential election echo the tactics he used in 2020 when he lost to Biden.
— Mary Spicuzza
Trump claims 50,000 people were turned away from Prairie du Chien rally
After taking the stage at Dane Manufacturing, Trump claimed 50,000 to 60,000 people were turned away from his Saturday rally in Prairie du Chien.
About a thousand people were standing in line to get into the rally, but the auditorium sat somewhere near 300 people.
The rally was initially planned to be held outdoors but switched to indoors over Secret Service staffing concerns. The agency was responsible for securing the United Nations General Assembly summit in New York on the same day.
— Hope Karnopp
Trump starts after about a 30-minute delay
Trump took the stage at 2:05 p.m., about a half hour behind schedule.
In the meantime, attendees heard standard songs on Trump's rally playlist, including "YMCA" and "Macho Man" by the Village People and "Gloria" by Laura Branigan.
There were some newer additions: "Give Me Everything" by Pitbull and "Thriller" by Michael Jackson.
— Hope Karnopp
Wisconsin union president accuses Trump of 'shell game' on overtime
A Wisconsin union president is accusing Trump of playing a "shell game" when it comes to overtime pay and protections.
"He is claiming that he will eliminate taxes on overtime pay but he fails to mention that he would do so by eliminating overtime pay altogether," Stephanie Bloomingdale, the Wisconsin AFL-CIO president, said Tuesday in a statement.
She referred to Trump's recent comments at a rally in Erie, Pennsylvania, that he "hated" to give overtime and "wouldn't pay" it.
Bloomingdale also referred to Project 2025, which Trump has been trying to distance himself from in recent months.
"When Donald Trump comes here and tries to sell this underhanded scam, we are wise to the lie he is again trying to sell," she said. "The truth is that Donald Trump does not care about the well-being of Wisconsin working people and he never has."
— Mary Spicuzza
Vice President Kamala Harris visiting areas affected by Hurricane Helene before Thursday's Wisconsin visit
Before heading to Wisconsin on Thursday, Harris will visit areas affected by Hurricane Helene.
Harris is scheduled to go to Georgia on Wednesday, according to a White House pool report. She will also travel to North Carolina, the pool report said.
Trump traveled to the storm-hit battleground state of Georgia to survey damage from Helene. Trump told reporters, "We're not talking about politics now," but he then criticized Biden and Harris over the administration's hurricane response in the hours leading up to the trip.
Biden has pushed back on false claims made by Trump over his response to the disaster.
"Donald Trump is a liar," read a post on X from Biden. "I’m working with governors and local officials to help those impacted by Hurricane Helene."
Harris cut a previous campaign trip short to return to Washington, D.C., for briefings about the disaster.
She's planning to address voters in the Fox Valley on Thursday, according to an advisory to voters from Wisconsin Democrats.
The visit would be Harris' fifth to Wisconsin since she became the Democrats' presidential nominee in late July. The Harris campaign early Tuesday declined to comment on her travel plans, and a spokesman for the Democratic Party of Wisconsin didn't respond to a message about the advisory.
— Mary Spicuzza
Trump crowd count at 500 indoors, 4,500 outside
According to a spokesman for the Republican Party of Wisconsin, the Dane Manufacturing facility held 500 people ahead of Trump's remarks, while about 4,500 stood outside the building.
— Jessie Opoien
Walker, Thompson encourage '72-county strategy' for Trump in Wisconsin
Walker and Thompson greeted the crowd at Dane Manufacturing ahead of Trump's remarks, each stressing the need for Republicans to cut into the strong Democratic margins in Dane and Milwaukee counties.
"You need to go beyond your comfort zone. You need to talk to family and friends, neighbors and coworkers, including some who maybe don’t typically vote for a Republican," Walker said. "Remind them ... this simple truth. Life was better when Donald Trump was president of the United States."
Walker argued that any distaste for Trump's rhetoric is negated by his approach to the economy, the border and violent crime.
Thompson, in a rousing speech, reiterated his insistence that Trump can win Wisconsin by increasing his vote share in the state's two most liberal counties.
"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," he 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."
— Jessie Opoien
Gov. Tony Evers criticizes Trump's visits
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.”
— Hope Karnopp
Trump campaign releases statement on Emhoff visit
In a statement, Wisconsin press secretary for Trump's campaign, Jacob Fischer, said "no visit from Doug Emhoff can conceal the reality that the dangerously liberal Harris-Walz agenda will be one that Wisconsinites simply can't afford."
"Emhoff has stood on the sidelines for four years of failure, and it's time to retire his second gentleman title. President Trump and JD Vance will lower taxes, empower our businesses and put hard-working Americans first, while Harris and Walz advance dangerously liberal policies and bankrupt our country," Fischer said.
— Hope Karnopp
Former Gov. Tommy Thompson 'so happy' Trump is competing in Dane County
Thompson told reporters at Trump's event in Waunakee he's "so happy" the former president honored his request to visit Dane County.
In an interview last month on WISN-TV's "Upfront," Thompson said he told Trump during his August rally in La Crosse that to win Wisconsin, he'll have to compete in the liberal strongholds of Dane and Milwaukee counties — areas that have rarely been a focus for Republican candidates.
Thompson, the state's longest-serving governor, told reporters Tuesday that by campaigning in both counties in one day, the former president will send a message that: "I want your vote. I'm here in Dane County because I’m going to compete for your votes all over the state of Wisconsin."
Trump lost the village of Waunakee by 28 points in 2020 — about half his losing margin countywide.
— Jessie Opoien
Where is Waunakee, Wisconsin, the site of Trump's visit?
Waunakee is about 13 miles north of Madison. It's in the northern part of Dane County, a county that produces large Democratic margins that present headaches for Republicans.
In 2020, Trump lost the village of Waunakee by 28 points, about half his losing margin in the county. Waunakee has a population of about 15,000.
Eric Hovde, the Republican candidate for Senate running against Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, also visited Dane Manufacturing in Waunakee in September, where he took questions from employees.
— Hope Karnopp
Discovery World has hosted Harris, Vance and now Trump
Trump's appearance in Milwaukee Tuesday will take place at Discovery World, a science museum that juts out into Lake Michigan. The museum's current facility was built in 2006.
During the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Trump's running mate and Ohio U.S. Sen. JD Vance spoke at Discovery World at an event sponsored by the Log Cabin Republicans, a pro-LGBTQ group.
Harris also spoke at Discovery World in May, before she became the Democratic presidential nominee. During that visit, she focused on the economy and disparities that affect Black homeowners and business owners.
— Hope Karnopp
More: From admission cost to hours to exhibits, here's what to know before a Discovery World visit
Trump to make his first Dane County campaign stop
Hundreds of supporters are lined up outside Dane Manufacturing in Waunakee awaiting a visit from Trump. His remarks are scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
It's Trump's first campaign event in Dane County, Wisconsin's fastest-growing county and a Democratic stronghold. Biden led Trump by more than 181,000 votes in the county when he defeated him statewide by about 21,000 votes in 2020. In Waunakee, Biden led Trump by about 2,600 votes.
Dane Manufacturing has served as a friendly space for Republican candidates in the liberal region. Hovde toured the metal fabrication facility and fielded questions from employees about a month ago, and Texas U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz did the same at the company's former location during his 2016 presidential bid. Cruz, who now backs Trump, at the 2016 stop referred to him as a "sniveling coward."
In his Tuesday speeches, Trump is expected to criticize the current Democratic administration's economic policy.
"When Wisconsinites send President Trump back to the White House, he will lower input costs for our farmers, cut 10 regulations for each new regulation implemented, and help, not hurt, farmers’ ability to feed the world," the Trump campaign said in a news release promoting the campaign events.
"While Kamala Harris desperately tries to run from her four years of failure for farmers, workers, and families across the state, Wisconsinites know that only President Trump can Make America Wealthy, Safe, Strong, and Great Again," the news release said.
— Jessie Opoien
Harris planning Fox Valley campaign stop Thursday in Wisconsin
Harris will be returning to Wisconsin on Thursday to rally voters in the Fox Valley. The campaign hasn't yet confirmed her travel plans, but a Wisconsin Democrats advisory with a registration link went out to voters.
Harris was last in Wisconsin in late September for a rally in Madison. The Fox Valley visit would be Harris' first to northeastern Wisconsin. Trump rallied in Green Bay in April for his first campaign stop of 2024, and running mate JD Vance was in De Pere recently.
— Hope Karnopp
What do the latest Trump-Harris polls show in Wisconsin?
A new Marquette University Law School poll of Wisconsin voters will be released Wednesday afternoon, right in the middle of this week of campaign visits. The poll is considered one of the highest-quality surveys in the country.
The last poll, conducted between Aug. 28 and Sept. 5, showed Harris with a four-point lead over Trump. That was within the margin of error, as have been most Marquette polls this year in battleground Wisconsin.
The last poll also showed an important switch for Harris: For the first time, she led among voters who consider themselves "very enthusiastic" to vote. Harris closed an enthusiasm gap that presented problems for Biden, then pulled ahead of Trump in the latest poll.
— Hope Karnopp
About 462,000 absentee ballots have been requested in Wisconsin
Election Day is Nov. 5, but voting is well underway in Wisconsin. According to Sept. 30 data from the Wisconsin Elections Commission, 461,704 voters have requested mail-in absentee ballots. About 87,000 of them have been returned by voters.
Early voting, which provides an opportunity to cast an absentee ballot at an in-person location, runs from Oct. 22 to Nov. 3 in Wisconsin. It's up to each city, town or village to decide how many dates, times and locations to offer.
You can register to vote, request an absentee ballot, look up what's on your ballot, find your polling place and more at myvote.wi.gov.
— Hope Karnopp
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Donald Trump, Doug Emhoff campaign in Wisconsin on Tuesday: recap