RNC Day 3 review: JD Vance officially accepts VP nomination
Here's a review of Day 3 of the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
Wednesday was another busy day at the RNC, with a lengthy night of speeches including JD Vance accepting his nomination as the GOP vice-presidential candidate.
The Journal Sentinel provided full coverage. Here's a recap of Wednesday's action.
More: Live updates: Republican National Convention 2024 in Milwaukee; RNC Day 4 schedule, Trump speech
Watch Trump's motorcade in downtown Milwaukee
(12:25 a.m.)
Business on King Drive stayed open, but slower than usual
As speeches went on inside of Fiserv Forum, some businesses just south of the hard security zone perimeter stayed open.
Some restaurants saw a steady flow of customers, mostly RNC attendees.
Calderone Club and San Giorgio Pizzeria Napoletana on the 800 block of North Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive took mostly walk-in patrons rather than reservations. But Calderone Club was busy with at least two larger parties.
Two performers entered Silk Exotic Downtown MKE Gentlemen’s Club, 730 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., one wearing a USA flag cowboy hat. It’s been business as usual at the club this week, apart from a difficult commute to work, said bouncer Jake, who declined to share his last name with Journal Sentinel reporters.
In the empty George Webb Restaurant, 812 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., employee DeAsia, who declined to give her last name, said she predicted foot traffic would pick up after bar close at the 24-hour restaurant, as it had the first two nights of the RNC.
“I feel like it’s always like this until then,” she said.
(11:45 p.m.)
— Jessica Rodriguez and Bridget Fogarty
Dancer handing out free admission passes to Silk
Dancer Angela Beltran and a handful of others in matching tees — featuring an image of Trump and the words “Legends never die” — were handing out free admission passes to Silk Exotic Downtown MKE Gentlemen’s Club, at 730 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., as RNC attendees left the hard perimeter near the Hyatt Regency hotel.
(11 p.m.)
— Hannah Kirby
Business as usual at Milwaukee's oldest gay bar, This Is It, but patrons say downtown has been 'a ghost town'
At least 30 people were mingling and ordering drinks in anticipation for Wednesday night's drag show at This Is It, Milwaukee's oldest gay bar, at around 10 p.m.
Employees said traffic at the Wells Street establishment today, between the 7 p.m. trivia games and the 10 p.m. drag show, seemed to track with that of other Wednesdays — with mostly regulars and familiar faces.
One bartender, however, said he thought the conservative, anti-gay rhetoric that's often associated with the GOP may have kept some people home.
One patron who asked to remain anonymous because of his career said This Is It regulars he'd normally see haven't been around this week. But he blamed it on the road closures and suspected crowdedness brought in by the RNC.
Surprisingly, downtown Milwaukee is like a "ghost town" this week, he said, but least it's been easy to find a parking spot.
According to the ACLU, 527 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced in the United States. And while Republican legislators are responsible for these bills, many This Is It patrons said they haven't felt apprehensive about going to gay bars during the RNC.
There's also been buzz on social media this week that the RNC has contributed to a surge in Grindr users. People have taken to social media to post about seeing a surge in the LGBTQ+ dating app.
Employees and patrons said they were aware of the spike in interest, but that they hadn't yet seen an increase in foot traffic to go with it. Not yet, anyway.
(10:41 p.m.)
— Quinn Clark and Chris Ramirez
JD Vance shouts out Wisconsin factory workers
JD Vance formally accepted his nomination as the GOP vice-presidential candidate Wednesday. In it, the conservative senator said the moment is “about all of us,” including in the key swing states Republicans are hoping Vance will help attract as the VP pick.
“It’s about the auto worker in Michigan, wondering why out-of-touch politicians are destroying their jobs,” Vance said. “It’s about the factory worker in Wisconsin, who makes things with their hands and is proud of American craftsmanship.”
“It’s about the energy worker in Pennsylvania and Ohio,” he continued, “who doesn’t understand why Joe Biden is willing to buy energy from tinpot dictators across the world when he could buy it from his own citizens right here in our own country.”
(10:10 p.m.)
— Savannah Kuchar, USA TODAY
World War II veteran from Wisconsin wows RNC crowd
Sergeant William “Bill” Pekrul, a Milwaukee native and World War II veteran, told the RNC crowd that “America is still worth fighting for” during his Wednesday night speech.
The crowd cheered as Pekrul, 99, said that if Trump returned as “commander in chief, I would go back and re-enlist today.”
The theme for the third night of the convention is "Make America Strong Once Again."
Pekrul was awarded two Bronze Stars and a Silver Star for his service in WWII. He has received additional recognition locally since, including in 2019 when he served as Grand Marshall of Milwaukee's Veterans Day Parade.
A Milwaukee native, Pekrul signed up for the U.S. Army at Boys Tech High School (now Bradley Tech), according to an interview with the War Memorial Center that he gave as part of the Wisconsin Veterans Story Project. Pekrul fought with the 29th Infantry in the second wave of troops during the Normandy Invasion on D-Day.
(9:33 p.m.)
— Mary Spicuzza and Zoe Jaeger
Senators press Secret Service for answers on Trump assassination attempt
A group of senators confronted head of Secret Service Kimberly Cheatle while in Milwaukee at the convention, according to a post on X by Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn.
“You owe the people answers,” Blackburn can be heard saying in the video.
Lawmakers have raised questions and concerns in the wake of the assassination attempt against Trump about potential gaps in security.
(9:29 p.m.)
— Savannah Kuchar, USA TODAY
Riverside Theater's marquee hypes Milwaukee's shoreline for RNC attendees
Water is central to life in Milwaukee — a fact that likely surprised many RNC delegates this week.
The Cream City not only sits on Lake Michigan, but also at the confluence of three major rivers: the Milwaukee, Menomonee and Kinnickinnic.
That was exactly the message on that the Pabst Theater group highlighted Wednesday on The Riverside Theater's marquee: “We’ve got the water, baby! Over 1,400 acres of sandy beaches.”
We've got it so good here in beautiful Milwaukee. ?? pic.twitter.com/K6g76fXpPM
— Pabst Theater Group (@PabstTheaterGRP) July 17, 2024
Each morning of the RNC, the theater has updated its flashing marquee with messages that are not just for visitors, but reminders to Milwaukeeans of why the city's so great.
(9:20 p.m.)
— Caitlin Looby
California’s RNC delegation unveils yellow MAGA hats
Everyone knows about the red MAGA hats. But the California delegation on Wednesday changed it up with golden MAGA hats.
The convention’s largest state delegations, with over 160 delegates at the RNC, stood out in the crowd with their new hats that were given out.
“We’re proud to wear them — just as much as we are Americans as we are Californians,” California delegate Charles Hilliard said.
Hilliard said the color was to represent California’s reputation as the Golden State.
For Hilliard, California’s presence at the RNC is a “big step” for the state’s GOP party, as the state's legislature is held by a Democratic supermajority.
“We feel the tide turning,” Hilliard said in reference to the GOP flipping some California House districts, “restoring us back to the Republican values that Reagan put up when I was a child.”
(9:10 p.m.)
— Tristan Hernandez
Robin Vos shares his thoughts on the RNC
Baby Trump, anti-abortion protester cross paths
One woman in a baby Trump costume. Another holding what appeared to be an anti-abortion sign.
The pair crossed paths peacefully just west of Cathedral Square Wednesday night, nodding to each other as they passed on the sidewalk.
"I think it's wonderful that we can do this," said Melissa H., a Milwaukee resident dressed as Trump who declined to give her last name, citing work concerns.
She said she bought the costume about six years ago, wore it once and kept it for good measure.
As for why she got it, she said: "I despise the man."
It comes with limited visibility. The only way to see where she was going was to stare through a slit of clear plastic in the costume's mouth.
That inability to make her way over curbs meant she limited her wanderings to a handful of blocks on the east side of the Milwaukee River, away from the security zone and the credentials-only "hard" perimeter surrounding the primary convention areas.
Despite her distance from the main RNC area, she was catching the eye of passersby. One Lyft driver abruptly pulled over to take a selfie with her and others couldn't help but notice the rotund baby toddling down the street.
Reactions, she said, included clapping and people stopping for pictures.
But her message was less than cheerful.
"I'm scared," she said. "The pick of his vice president makes it 10 times worse in my opinion, and I did not like the man as a human. I do not think he was a good leader. I do not think he's good for this country."
An independent voter, she expressed concern that neither Trump nor Biden, men in their late 70s and early 80s, respectively, would live to see the end of a second term.
"JD Vance scares the hell out of me," she said of the Ohio senator and vice presidential running mate Trump announced this week.
(8:20 p.m.)
— Alison Dirr
Attendees wear ear bandages in solidarity
In the sea of RNC attendees Wednesday night, one particular accessory stood out: ear bandages.
Some attendees came to Wednesday's evening event brandishing bandages on their right ears. It may not be a TikTok beauty trend any time soon, but it's being seen as a display of solidarity with former president Donald Trump's attempted assassination Saturday.
Trump made his third appearance at the RNC with a large bandage over his ear.
(8:12 p.m.)
— Natalie Eilbert
Donald Trump returns for night 3 of the RNC
Trump returned to the RNC for its third night.
He walked into the arena to booming applause and a standing ovation as “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World” blasted at Fiserv Forum.
(8 p.m.)
— Mary Spicuzza
Who is Kai Trump?
Kai Trump, the eldest granddaughter of Donald Trump and daughter to Donald Trump Jr., announced on social media that she will speak at the RNC.
"I am honored to be speaking at the RNC," Kai Trump wrote in her Instagram story Wednesday.
Who is Kai Trump? Here's more on her.
(7:50 p.m.)
— Christopher Kuhagen
RNC has kept Milwaukee's downtown commuters away, at least so far
It looks like the RNC has kept Milwaukee's downtown commuters at bay — so far at least.
Many expected traffic to be heavy amid the convention this week due to increased security and road closures. But that wasn't the case on Monday and Tuesday — at least during peak commute hours along the Marquette Interchange where Interstate 43, I-94 and I-794 meet, according to data from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.
(7:25 p.m.)
— Caitlin Looby
Justin Trudeau's half-brother campaigns for RFK Jr. at RNC
A caravan of political boosters have been cruising across Milwaukee, waving flags and cheering on their presidential candidate.
No, they're not here with the RNC. They're supporters of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the dynastic and controversial third-party candidate for president. So far, they say, the reception — even from Trump supporters — has been overwhelmingly positive.
Kyle Kemper is the man behind the wheel of a tricked out "Kennedy 2024" RV that's been blaring campaign jingles around town. Like RFK Jr., Kemper hails from a powerful political family but is "a bit of a black sheep."
Kemper is a vocal critic of his half-brother, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
"I love him through and through, but I just fundamentally disagree with what he and the Liberal Party of Canada — along with their global partners — have done," Kemper told the Journal Sentinel.
Kemper is a vaccine skeptic and a cryptocurrency true-believer. He's wary of both the Democratic and Republican parties, and believes both are captured by corporate interests. A few months ago, he sat down for a 52-minute interview with Tucker Carlson.
Kemper and his wife, Brittany, have been driving cross-country in their "Kennedy 2024" camper since May, along with their three young children: Sequoia; Charlie; and Ayla, who is 10 weeks old. They've been documenting their journey on Instagram and TikTok, and they've met up with Kennedy himself along the way.
The Kempers were inspired to support RFK Jr.'s presidential campaign after hearing him speak at a cryptocurrency conference in Miami. After the conference, they enlisted the help of Miami graffiti artists to deck out their RV in "Kennedy 2024" images and slogans.
Milwaukeeans might've heard their campaign jingles blaring on the RV's loudspeaker. Kemper used AI to adapt John F. Kennedy's 1960 "Kennedy for Me" song into many different genres: reggae, reggaeton, soul, pop, dub step, choir and jazz.
Joined by local Kennedy fans and a group of "Students for Kennedy," the RV has been parading down Brady Street and other main drags. Early Wednesday night, they were camped out in front of the Marcus Performing Arts Center.
Passersby were friendly to the Kennedy crew.
"I'm so glad he finally got Secret Service protection," said a woman sporting an RNC lanyard.
(7:06 p.m.)
— Genevieve Redsten
What time is JD Vance speaking tonight?
Vance, Trump's vice presidential pick, will speak at the convention Wednesday night.
The RNC schedule lists Vance as speaking between 9:30 and 10 p.m., CT, as the last speaker of the night.
(6:58 p.m.)
— Maia Pandey
Temporary RNC police headquarters sees small protest
Protesters gathered Wednesday afternoon at the building in Greendale serving as the temporary headquarters for the thousands of law enforcement officers in town for RNC security.
They were there to protest Tuesday’s fatal police shooting of 43-year-old Samuel Sharpe Jr. a few blocks away from the Republican National Convention.
Black Lives Are Sacred MKE, a group that amplifies Black voices and inspires people of faith to stand up for racial justice, organized the event.
"We want to remind the nation that these kinds of incidents are not accidents," organizer Jodi Delfosse said. "It's not just a few bad apples in terms of police officers with a heavy hand and a trigger finger, this is systemic racism, and we need to change the way that we police our society.”
The activist group had placed signs in the dirt bearing the names of victims of police shootings and provided signs for attendees to hold. By 5:40 p.m., when a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter arrived, the crowd had dwindled to two people.
Heather Godley stood on the sidewalk across the street from the headquarters, holding a sign that said “Stop killing people.” A few drivers honked their horns and shouted “Trump!” out the window.
“There are groups in Milwaukee that have been working for months and months to make sure that outside police officers didn't come in and kill folks in Milwaukee,” said Godley, who was there with her husband, Nathan. “And that's exactly what ended up happening. So I just wanted to come out and make sure that they know that that's not acceptable, that we have to make sure that people are not gunned down like what happened in King Park.”
"That's a step in the right direction," Delfosse said. "It was my understanding that was going to be the plan from the get-go. … I wish it had been a proactive rather than a reactive step."
Nathan Godley said the problem is that out-of-town police aren't familiar with local communities.
“They were right next to a homeless camp," Nathan Godley said. "If there had been an MPD officer there, it's very likely that an officer would have known some of the people in this camp would have been skilled at de-escalating, could have used their names — and it needn't have come to this.”
A lieutenant at the headquarters declined to be interviewed and directed reporters to Bridget Esser with the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs for comment. Esser did not respond Wednesday.
—Adrienne Davis and Erik Handley
Rep. Bryan Steil on local impact of RNC, Republican unity
Stopping by Wisconsin Media Row Wednesday afternoon, Rep. Bryan Steil said the convention has been a great opportunity to showcase Milwaukee and Wisconsin to thousands of people who haven’t been to the city before.
He said that “long term, the benefits are great” and that the RNC would encourage other conventions to come to Milwaukee. Steil hoped the economic impact would be felt for “years to come.”
For many businesses downtown, traffic has been slower than expected during the convention. Wednesday morning, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said he heard “some concerns” for businesses in the immediate surrounding area of the RNC.
Asked about the message of unity the Republican Party is promoting, Steil told the Journal Sentinel Republicans need to be unified to enact policies to combat the “reckless spending that we see in the Biden administration.”
“Republicans are unified because we need to, for the sake of the country, do and work to get our country back where it needs to be,” Steil said.
Steil added that the energy in Fiserv Forum is high, especially after Trump made his first appearance since Saturday’s assassination attempt. He said he’s looking forward to speeches from Senator JD Vance tonight and Trump tomorrow.
(6:55 p.m.)
— Tristan Hernandez
Parents of U.S.-Israeli hostage host meet-and-greet ahead of evening remarks
Ronen and Orna Neutra, the parents of 22-year-old American-Israeli hostage Omner Nuetra, hosted a meet-and-greet outside the Baird Center Wednesday afternoon. They're scheduled to speak to delegates and politicians during Wednesday night’s main remarks, one of their largest audiences yet.
They called on Republicans and Democrats to work together on a hostage deal to release the estimated 120 people still held in Gaza.
“We will talk to anyone. We talk to Republicans, we talk to Democrats, we talk to people that are not in our comfort zone,” Orna said. “This is what is going to bring our hostages and our loved ones home.”
“This is a bipartisan issue,” Ronen added.
They were joined by Pency Nance, the CEO and president of Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee and Liz Hirsh Naftali, the relative of Abigail Mor Edan, a former American hostage in Gaza. Nance led the small group of attendees in a prayer at the end of the event.
(6:50 p.m.)
— Rachel Hale
Tensions between protesters dissipate after police line up near checkpoint
Tensions between arguing protesters outside a security checkpoint near Fiserv Forum quickly dissipated once about two dozen officers lined up along North King Drive.
A crowd had been forming around a handful of protesters who were shouting at each other through bullhorns.
Two of the people were recognizable as protesters who had been antagonizing each other over the issue of abortion at a protest earlier in the week. Some of the protesters were affiliated with the Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising group, which on Monday staged a “wedding” for the “abortion industry” and the Republican Party.
The area outside the pedestrian checkpoint, along King Drive at West Highland Avenue, was a point of confluence Wednesday evening for a variety of people with something to say.
There was a man with a guitar and a microphone singing Christian songs, a woman holding a large, hand-painted sign over her head that described Trump as a racist and a felon, and several apparently amateur videographers doing man-on-the-street interviews.
It was all happening as delegates and RNC guests were trying to approach the security checkpoint around 5 p.m.
The area initially had a minimal police presence. But as the tenor of the protesters’ arguments became more intense, about 70 to 80 police moved toward the scene.
Most stood back, waiting. The officers who lined up — some with their bicycles in front of them — did not interact with the protesters but appeared to create a path for cars to pass by.
Within minutes, most protesters and onlookers left. A handful remained in front of the checkpoint, but they were not arguing with each other. Eventually, the officers left the area as well.
Through it all, Riverwest resident TW Hansen, a car salesman, was weaving through the crowd, trying to sell bumper stickers to people that read, “Make Milwaukee Famous Again.”
Hansen had made the stickers for the 2020 Democratic National Convention, but never got to distribute them because of the toned-down event. So he was there trying to “get my money back out of these, or they rot in my basement forever.”
Hansen, a Biden supporter, said he wasn’t bothered by the mix of people expressing their views.
“The weirder the better, if you ask me,” he said. “Life is too short to allow it to be boring.”
Still, he wished people would “sit down, and have a drink, or five, and a laugh, and try to sort this stuff out.”
He understood that flashy protesters can cause a spectacle, and that people like to be onlookers to something noteworthy. But Hansen was there with a simple mission.
“I just love selling,” he said.
(6:48 p.m.)
— Sophie Carson
All quiet at Zeidler Union Square Park protest zone
Zeidler Union Square Park stayed quiet late Wednesday afternoon, besides about a dozen demonstration event safety staff, a couple of dog walkers and a sunbather.
Several protest groups that had scheduled to demonstrate were no-shows.
(6:44 p.m.)
— Jessica Rodriguez
MPD officers will accompany all visiting police bicycle units after fatal shooting
After a fatal police shooting a mile from the security zone of the Republican National Convention, everyone from elected officials to activists and reporters had the same question:
Why were officers from Columbus, Ohio, in King Park?
Milwaukee police officials were clear before the RNC: They did not intend to use non-Milwaukee officers for "forward-facing" roles, and they wanted Milwaukee officers to be the ones interacting with local residents.
Mutual aid agreements signed by outside agencies had similar language, saying Milwaukee officers should be the ones to make arrests and requiring at least one Milwaukee officer on most assignments.
On Wednesday, Milwaukee police said they did not consider the Columbus bicycle unit to be a forward-facing unit, since it was a specialty unit primarily tasked with traffic control and responding to potential demonstrations.
But the department has since made changes. For the last two days of the convention, all bicycle units will have representation from Milwaukee police.
(6:30 p.m.)
— David Clarey, Alison Dirr and Ashley Luthern
Wisconsin GOP delegates say unity will extend to state politics
As Republicans center their national convention around a message of unity, two Wisconsin delegates say the approach will also apply at the state level — on the heels of two elections lost after bruising GOP primaries.
“I’ve been calling around to a lot of county chairmen — a lot of them. And there might be some differences between people in the party, but we’re all excited and united about Donald Trump. That’s the one thing — and obviously, Eric Hovde, too. But if we don’t win — it’s no fun not having the executive branch,” former Republican Party of Wisconsin chairman Brad Courtney told the Journal Sentinel.
Republicans can get candidates elected at every other level, but without the executive branch — whether statewide or nationally — it’s hard to accomplish policy wins without holding the executive office, Courtney said.
“So I think we are very united and very excited to do what we did in ‘16,” he said.
Republican Party of Marathon County chairman Kevin Hermening noted that the implementation of new legislative maps has resulted in some GOP primary challenges in his area. He said he’s calling on Republican candidates in the county to sign a unity pledge ahead of the Aug. 13 primary election.
“If they don't sign it, that's going to send a big message to the primary voters. And honestly, I've told so many people, so many times, that primary elections are not for all voters. They're for the parties to nominate their standard bearer. Obviously, all voters can vote in it, and that's how we ended up with (former gubernatorial candidate Tim Michels) and (former state Supreme Court justice and candidate) Dan Kelly as our nominees last year — because the Democrats came out and voted for their favorite Republican,” Hermening said, clarifying that he meant the ones they thought a Democrat could defeat. “We all know that.”
(5:54 p.m.)
— Jessie Opoien
Vance delivers speech to RNC crowd at Discovery World
Milwaukee is known for its many Lake Michigan landmarks, so it's only fitting that they'd serve as a backdrop for some of the top players at the Republican National Convention this week.
On Wednesday, July 17, Republican vice president candidate J.D. Vance spoke at Discovery World. Vance spoke about his reaction after the assassination attempt last weekend against Former President Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania.
"I was so afraid for him, and so afraid for our country," Vance said to the RNC crowd on Wednesday.
(5:50 p.m.)
— Caitlin Looby
Tensions high outside hard security zone entry point
Groups of arguing protesters are gathered at a pedestrian entry point at North King Drive and West Highland Avenue.
At least 70 to 80 officers have arrived and are largely waiting nearby. But several with bikes have lined up along the street, apparently to create a path for cars to pass.
Delegates are arriving for evening events at Fiserv Forum and are passing through the checkpoint.
(5:22 p.m.)
— Sophie Carson and Vanessa Swales
Democrats launch 9 billboards highlighting Vance's abortion comments
Democrats launched nine new billboards in both English and Spanish criticizing Vance's comments on a national abortion ban.
According to reporting from CNN, Vance in 2022 said he wanted to see abortion banned nationally, because people seeking abortions would travel from states where its banned to those with liberal abortion laws. Without federal action, he said, abortion couldn't be completely stopped.
Vance earlier this week said he planned to adhere to Trump's view on abortion as a state issue, though.
“Alabama’s going to make a different decision from California. That is a reasonable thing," he said in an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity Monday. "And that’s how I think we build some bridges and have some respect for one another.”
The new ads, which feature a photo of Vance, will appear along I-94 and I-43.
(5 p.m.)
— Laura Schulte
Scene outside security checkpoint on King Drive
A pedestrian entry point into the hard zone at North King Drive and West Highland Avenue is serving as a point of confluence of a variety of protesters, activists and RNC attendees.
One woman is holding a painted sign calling Trump a racist and felon. One man with a bullhorn who has been present at several RNC protesters this week is repeating inflammatory chants.
There are also activists from the Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising, and amateur social media videographers, and a man singing songs with Christian messages.
All those people are standing in front of the barricades that delegates are using to enter the secure perimeter. Among those who exited vehicles into the chaotic mix Wednesday before 5 p.m. was Wisconsin Senate candidate Eric Hovde.
(4:45 p.m.)
— Sophie Carson and Vanessa Swales
UNC fraternity students who protected American flag enter RNC
The frat boys are here.
Specifically, the group of students and fraternity members at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill whose video went viral for holding up the American flag during a pro-Palestinian protest this spring have arrived at the RNC.
The Trump campaign had announced it was inviting the group last week. The group is among the "Everyday American Convention speakers" joining the various sessions throughout the week.
The students gained national attention when they held up the American flag during the campus protests opposing the United States' role in funding Israel throughout the Israel-Hamas War. Many conservative leaders applauded the students' actions, calling the young men patriots.
(4:33 p.m.)
— Natalie Eilbert
Wisconsin U.S. Senate candidate Eric Hovde chugs a beer outside Fiserv Forum
U.S. Senate candidate Eric Hovde won a beer-chugging challenge during a live taping of the "Ruthless Podcast" outside Fiserv Forum. A video posted to X, formerly Twitter, showed Hovde finished his beer in about five seconds.
Yo @EricHovde just torched the @RuthlessPodcast @RonJohnsonWI beer challenge, handily defending Wisconsin's beer and football supremacy over Minnesota. #brats #beer #football pic.twitter.com/aXzz8svbCN
— Sam Rogers (@RealSamRogers) July 17, 2024
Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson is also known for a beer-chugging video from 2022, in which he thanked the Tavern League of Wisconsin for endorsing him. He chugged a slightly larger beer than Hovde did Wednesday, finishing in 3.79 seconds.
Hovde is running against Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin and gave a speech at the RNC Tuesday night.
(4:15 p.m.)
— Hope Karnopp
Business has been 'amazing' for one RNC vendor
Sequined hats. Stickers. T-shirts with a muscular version of Trump.
Vendors have popped up inside and around the RNC security perimeter, selling all kinds of merchandise.
One seller, Leeann Joyner, said she’s “been doing amazing” during the convention. Her top seller has been cowboy Trump hats, which cost $60 each.
She’s also selling hats with fake hair made to look like the hair of the former president.
Joyner lives in Orlando, Florida, and travels across the country, selling Trump merchandise at events. She started her business during the COVID-19 pandemic to supplement her income.
“I was a marketing director but I’m making more money here,” Joyner said.
(4:10 p.m.)
— Alex Groth
Voces de la Frontera condemns death of Samuel Sharpe, man shot by Columbus, Ohio, police
A day after Columbus, Ohio, police shot and killed Samuel Sharpe, an unhoused man living at a tent encampment in King Park, Voces de la Frontera released a press release condemning the shooting.
Sharpe was killed by five nearby officers from Columbus when they saw he was wielding a knife and lunged at another individual. The officers had ordered Sharpe to drop his weapon before shooting him.
Voces de la Frontera, a grassroots nonprofit that advocates for immigrants and the Latino and Hispanic community in Wisconsin, had warned about the possible dangers of bringing out-of-town law enforcement to Milwaukee. It's a mindset shared by the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression and other Milwaukee organizations.
Christine Neumann-Ortiz, Voces de la Frontera executive director, said in the Wednesday press release that she feared the 4,000 additional police officers in the area would bring "deadly encounters, particularly involving out-of-state officers who do not know our community."
Neumann-Ortiz's statement joins ongoing community outcry from friends, neighbors and homeless and housing advocates, who knew Sharpe in the King Park area as Jehovah.
"Safer communities that build trust with local law enforcement depend on de-escalation tactics and the redirection of community tax dollars from more militaristic police operations, jails, and repression to providing necessary resources for housing, healthcare, mental health services, and other essential needs," Neumann-Ortiz said.
(4:05 p.m.)
— Natalie Eilbert
Scenes from outside the RNC on Wednesday
Vivek Ramaswamy: 'We are in the middle of a war ... but our enemy is an ideology'
At a lunch event at the Harley-Davidson Museum on Wednesday, Ohio businessman and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy told the California delegation the country is in “a war.”
“We are in the middle of a war in this country — a war for the survival of the United States of America,” Ramaswamy said. “But our enemy is an ideology, a toxic ideology, but an ideology, nonetheless. Not our fellow citizens.”
Ramaswamy put Republicans in the role of rescuers of people whose views align more with Democrats.
“I view our job as Republicans almost as the job of a liberator,” Ramaswamy said, then comparing Trump to President Abraham Lincoln. “Donald Trump, I believe, has been given the (second) chance that Abraham Lincoln ... didn’t get.”
Ramaswamy isn't the first high-profile speaker to make a inflammatory statement since Trump was shot.
At an earlier RNC speech, Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson said Democratic policies were "a clear and present danger to America, to our institutions, our values and our people."
But that was blamed on the wrong version of a speech being loaded in a teleprompter.
(4 p.m.)
— Ricardo Torres
Wisconsin delegate's dog, Lambeau, is taking hundreds of selfies, did not meet Babydog
Dogs have stolen the show at the Republican National Convention — including Lambeau, a 7-year-old purebred English Labrador retriever service dog.
"I had no expectations of anything," Lambeau's human, Wisconsin delegate Terrence Wall, said.
"I didn't know what to expect. It's the first time to be at a convention, and I am stunned. I was worried about, 'How do I keep a low profile?' And everyone wants to talk to him and meet him."
Lambeau has gotten his photo taken at least 250 to 300 times a day, Wall said. He met someone from California at Convention Fest whose daughter saw Lambeau on TV and said, "You gotta track him down and get a selfie."
"I'm just his agent," joked Wall, a real estate developer and former U.S. Senate candidate.
So, did Lambeau meet Babydog, who appeared on stage with her owner, West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, during his speech Tuesday night?
"By total coincidence, I stepped out with him to go to the bathroom" when Babydog came out, Wall said. "Which is probably good, because if he saw (her), he would probably want to go greet her and lick her and say hi."
(3:50 p.m.)
— Hope Karnopp
Wisconsin delegates united in concerns about border, economy
For Wisconsin State Treasurer John Leiber, economic growth and stability are always top of mind. As a Wisconsin RNC delegate, he said he feels the Republican Party's approach to tackling inflation is ideal compared to the "Bidenomics" of the past four years.
Leiber and fellow Wisconsin delegate Matthew Russ walked through Wisconsin Media Row on Wednesday to share about their convention experience and issues important to them.
"The other side doesn't seem to think there was an issue, but everyone can see, you go to the gas station, go to the grocery store, it's there, and it's real," Leiber said of inflation. "We need a party that's willing to address it and acknowledge it exists."
Leiber and Russ said border security remains an issue that they hope to see addressed if Trump wins in November.
"We're letting in millions and millions of people who haven't gone through the process we have in our immigration system. We have it set up for a reason," Russ said. "If too many people come in, we can't care for them, so it's really not a loving thing."
The pair said that they were happy to see Trump select JD Vance as his running mate, because it demonstrated that the party is focused on selecting a candidate who'll wholeheartedly support Trump in his legislative agenda and not waver from campaign promises.
For Russ and Leiber, the party feels more united in its mission than it ever has.
(3:45 p.m.)
— Tamia Fowlkes
Marjorie Taylor Greene applauded as she enters Baird Center for book signing
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia walked into the Baird Center during Convention Fest and was met from applause from RNC attendees.
Greene was escorted to a private room a little before 3 p.m. and returned to a crowd of media and RNC attendees around 3:10 p.m. for an official book signing of her book, "MTG."
A line of about 40 people cheered as Greene walked out. Then, they waited for their chance to get their book signed and get a photo op with her.
(3:35 p.m.)
— Jordyn Noennig and Alex Groth
Donald Trump conducts walkthrough at the RNC
Trump is conducting a walkthrough Wednesday afternoon at Fiserv Forum ahead of his acceptance speech Thursday.
The Fiserv Forum floor was cleared for the former president's rehearsal around 2:30 p.m.
Trump, who was officially named the Republican nominee for president Monday, has been in attendance during the RNC speeches Monday and Tuesday nights.
Trump's speech will come just days after he survived an assassination attempt during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The wounds of that attack have been visible on Trump, who has had a white bandage over his right ear. A bullet grazed his ear when a 20-year-old opened fire at Trump on stage at the rally.
Trump will likely be in attendance again Wednesday night as he hears from his son, Donald Trump Jr., and Vance, among others. Tonight's theme is "Make America Strong Once Again."
(3:15 p.m.)
— Christopher Kuhagen
King Drive slow but steady for lunch as convention-goers spread around the city for RNC events
Bars and restaurants along North Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive had a slow but steady crowd for lunch.
Tables of officers, RNC guests and media were found around the Milwaukee Brat House, Who’s on Third and Copper on King.
Three RNC guests were sitting at a table outside Copper, enjoying lunch and drinks, one sipping on a Lakefront IPA.
Johnny Shae of Memphis said that it was his second time at Copper. A sign advertising brunch caught his eye.
“The staff are great. They’re extremely friendly,” Shae said.
Peter Marshall, owner of Copper, said business has been steady.
“It’s been going really well for us, but I mean it’s not 50,000 people,” Marshall said. “It’s just nice and consistent all day long, but not overwhelming, but good. We’re happy.”
Marshall, an England native, said he was most excited to see Liz Truss, the former prime minister of the United Kingdom, who served only 50 days in 2022.
Copper had booked three private parties. Marshall also special ordered to-go coffee cups for officers patrolling the area, given the block doesn't have a dedicated coffee shop. He said he’s gone through hundreds of cups in three days.
Many convention-goers were heading to events around Milwaukee before going to the entertainment district, where RNC speeches will start at 5:45 p.m. inside Fiserv Forum.
Many RNC guests were invited to an event at American Family Field and a concert at the Harley-Davidson Museum.
“I block off my morning because I’m still working, and then in the afternoon, we’re going to events and whatnot,” said Mike Andrews of Virginia. He was a guest of the RNC and staying at Saint Kate — The Arts Hotel.
“Today, we’re going to an event at the ballpark and then we’re heading to the Milwaukee Public Museum for an event there,” he said.
He still made time to break away from scheduled events to check out the lakefront and take a Miller Brewery tour.
“We’ve enjoyed it here,” he said.
(2:30 p.m.)
— Jordyn Noennig
Wyoming couple talk about RNC obstacles to exploring Milwaukee
Under a patio umbrella outside the Milwaukee Brat House, 1013 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., Wyoming couple Bill and Roxie Hensley ate lunch — an Italian sausage for Bill and a brat for Roxie.
It was the first time the Hensleys had gone much beyond the security perimeter during their week in Milwaukee for the RNC, they said.
“I feel like we've done everything we can do inside,” said Bill Hensley, an alternate delegate for Wyoming.
He said the trek from the Wyoming delegation’s hotel in Racine has been part of the challenge, plus the delegates from their state are almost entirely first-time RNC attendees. There hasn't been anyone to explain how the convention schedule works, or if there's time to explore, Hensley said.
Lots of people stayed in the convention hall for hours Monday and Tuesday, he said.
“If we had someone who had been here before, they could have said, ‘Hey, here's what it's gonna look like,’” Hensley said. "We just had to figure it out on our own.”
But convention security could also be a concern, Roxie Hensley said. Ohio police shot and killed an armed man outside of the RNC perimeter Tuesday. Roxie Hensley said she originally heard that it happened inside the security perimeter until someone explained otherwise.
“It’s possible since last Saturday that people have been cautious,” she said.
Other convention delegates agreed that back-to-back events, meetings and evening speeches have made it difficult to explore Milwaukee beyond the convention area.
“It’s been a packed schedule,” said Duke Lowrie, a Louisiana delegate, as he tried to find a security entrance on the east side of the convention Wednesday morning. “We just haven’t had time yet.”
(2 p.m.)
— Brittany Carloni, Indy Star
One Uber driver is trying to avoid RNC
Curtis Boyd, 77, is doing his best to keep his Uber away from the RNC. But he said he has little choice when the algorithm directs him to pick up a suburban passenger heading into downtown Milwaukee, even if he’s no fan of the road closures that have helped to make it something of a ghost town for local businesses.
“I just work for a bit, wherever it takes me,” Boyd told USA TODAY as he navigated his Toyota Sienna onto an interstate ramp into the city Wednesday. While recognizing he could end up doing loop after loop, driving passengers to the convention site, he said he hoped to be far from the Republican confab “as fast as possible.”
Boyd is a Mississippi native who has been in Wisconsin for most of his life. He’s also a retired cab driver who, a few years ago, sold his business and moved to Uber part-time, about four to five hours a day.
“It’s good money,” he said, adding that he doesn’t typically do an itemized look at the fares he’s making and wasn’t familiar with the specific surge pricing differences that are adding a few more dollars to his wallet, thanks to the RNC.
(1:20 p.m.)
— Sam Woodward and Darren Samuelsohn, USA TODAY
3rd Street Market Hall business picking up but still below normal
A walk through 3rd Street Market Hall during Wednesday's lunch hour found increased activity over Monday and Tuesday, but business still below the typical noon rush.
"It's been a little bit busier," said Joannah Connors, manager at Mid-Way Bakery.
Also, the food hall, 275 W. Wisconsin Ave., hosted a private event Tuesday night which boosted business, said Edgar Aispuro, owner of Criollo, a Latin American food vendor, and Johnathan Dye, founder of Mr. Dye's Pies.
"That was good," Dye said.
(1:10 p.m.)
— Tom Daykin
Major Goolsby’s slow during the day but cops, parties keep it going
The noon crowd at Major Goolsby’s, 340 W. Kilbourn Ave., on Wednesday was about 10 people. That’s been the case the last several days with the convention in town.
“Unfortunately, it’s been a bit slower than we like during the day, than we would prefer,” manager Jessica Mullins said. “But we’ve been really lucky because we booked parties.”
Mullins said if Goolsby's didn’t have any parties in the evenings, it would have been “a little bit of a letdown.”
Mullins said being right up against the hard security perimeter and road closures have made it difficult for pedestrians to get there.
However, it hasn’t been difficult for the thousands of law enforcement and first responders in Milwaukee.
“We have kind of become the cop bar,” Mullins said, adding the restaurant gives uniformed first responders and military 50% off discounts.
“So we have had almost all the police, all day, every day, coming in, so that has helped tremendously.”
(1 p.m.)
— Ricardo Torres
Kristin Brey, JR Radcliffe talk about RNC Day 2: Police shooting, taking Trump's photo, slow downtown business
Former Republican congressman Scott Klug on trusting Wisconsin elections
Former Republican congressman Scott Klug stopped by Wisconsin Media Row Wednesday morning to talk about his involvement in the bipartisan Democracy Defense Project, which works to build trust in elections in multiple battleground states, including Wisconsin.
"We think there's been a lot of stories told about the 2020 election that have nothing to do with reality," Klug said. The RNC itself isn't the target of that message, he said.
"Let me speak bluntly as a former Republican congressman: I think there's a lot of people in here who are rabid Republicans, who believe there was election fraud in 2020. I don't think there's any evidence of it in Wisconsin, whatsoever," Klug said.
Klug leads the project in Wisconsin with former Democratic Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, former Republican Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen and former state Democratic party chair Mike Tate.
Klug said Wisconsin would be smart to look at reforms that have worked in other states, such as Nebraska's system of drafting poll workers like jurors.
Making that a requirement could stem conspiracies, he said, if "half the people don't even want to be in the room. They're just there so they don't get arrested."
Klug expressed support for voting early, and said it's important to find a way to start processing early votes faster. A bill to allow processing absentee ballots a day early, and prevent perceptions of "ballot dumps," failed in the state Legislature this session.
"You wouldn't have the mysterious trucks in the night at the Milwaukee counting center, which exists only because the folks in the Legislature can't get it done," Klug said.
(12:30 p.m.)
— Hope Karnopp and Tamia Fowlkes
Wednesday night speaker schedule released, includes JD Vance, Donald Trump Jr. and Milwaukee veteran
The RNC has released its Wednesday night schedule and list of speakers.
The list includes Vance and his wife, Usha Chilukuri Vance, as well as Donald Trump Jr.
It also includes Peter Navarro, the former director of U.S. Office of Trade & Manufacturing, who just got out of jail Wednesday morning after serving four months for refusing to comply with a subpoena from the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
Also speaking will be Gold Star families and several decorated veterans, in keeping with the night's theme, "Make America Strong Once Again." One speaker will be Sergeant William Pekrul, a Milwaukee native who's a decorated World War II and D-Day veteran.
There will also be a musical performance by country music artist Brian Kelley and the Holy Redeemer Church of God in Christ Choir.
Here are a few more of Wednesday night's speakers:
6-6:30 p.m.
Rep. Nancy Mace (South Carolina)
Rep. Ronny Jackson (Texas); Jackson was also the White House doctor during the Obama administration and served as physician to the president during the Trump administration.
Rep Matt Gaetz (Florida)
6:30-7 p.m.
Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich
Peter Navarro, former director of U.S. Office of Trade & Manufacturing
7-7:30 p.m.
Gov. Greg Abbott (Texas)
Trent Conaway, the mayor of East Palestine, Ohio, which was in the news last year as the site of a February 2023 train derailment
Gov. Doug Burgum (North Dakota), who was thought to be on Donald Trump's shortlist of vice-presidential nominee possibilities
Kellyanne Conway, who served as counselor to the president in the Trump administration
7:30-8 p.m.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (Florida)
Kimberly Guilfoyle, a former Fox News host and Donald Trump Jr.'s fiancee
8-8:30 p.m.
Rep. Michael Waltz (Florida)
8:30-9 p.m.
Sergeant William Pekrul
9-9:30 p.m.
Donald J. Trump Jr.
Usha Chilukuri Vance
9:30-10 p.m.
Sen. JD Vance
(12:15 p.m.)
— Amy Schwabe
Man arrested blocks from Fiserv Forum on Monday was carrying AK-47
A 21-year-old man arrested blocks from the RNC on Monday was carrying an AK-47 pistol, the Milwaukee Country district attorney's office said Wednesday.
The man, identified as Donnell V. Tinsley of Milwaukee, was wearing black pants and gloves, a tan sweatshirt, a ski mask and was carrying "a large black tactical backpack," according to Milwaukee police.
Tinsley was walking south on the 1200 block of North 11th Street, away from an RNC security checkpoint, when a Homeland Security Investigations special agent and a U.S. Capitol Police officer patrolling the area noticed him. The officers stopped him around 10:45 a.m., according to police.
Searching Tinsley's backpack, officers found a fully loaded magazine containing 7.62X39-caliber rifle ammunition. They also found a "Scream" movie mask, flashlight, two sets of black gloves with rubber fingertips, sunglasses, an Allied Universal Security uniform shirt, two cans of spray paint and multiple empty marijuana bags, according to court documents. Tinsley didn't have a concealed carry permit for his weapon, police said.
The arrest came just days after shots were fired at Trump at his Pennsylvania rally. Officials found an AR-style rifle at the scene.
Though Gov. Tony Evers reportedly sought to ban within the "soft security perimeter" of the RNC after the attempted assassination, state law prevented the city or Secret Service from implementing such a rule. Guns aren't allowed within the RNC's "hard perimeter," which includes Fiserv Forum, Baird Center and the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.
Following Monday's arrest, the state will request a "no weapons/no contact order" within the RNC's soft perimeter for the rest of the convention, Milwaukee police said. Thursday is the last day of the convention.
(Noon)
— Maia Pandey
Democrats attack Republicans on abortion stance
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar of Texas joined the Biden-Harris campaign in an attack on Republicans' abortion stance Wednesday morning, calling it a "dark vision" for America.
"The Trump-Vance ticket does not care about women," Escobar said during a press conference in Milwaukee.
"One in three women in America now live in a state with an abortion ban. That's one in three women of childbearing age. It is an abomination that this is the vision they have for all American women."
Amanda Zurawski, a resident of Austin, Texas, spoke at the event about her experience after she was denied a medically necessary abortion after extreme complications with her first pregnancy. She and her husband were devastated, she said, and she hoped to have a safe abortion provided by her doctor so she could heal both mentally and physically.
"I was told to wait until I got so sick that my life was considered in danger, one of the rare exceptions where a doctor can intervene in Texas," she said. "It took three days and a near-death crash into septic shock before my doctor could finally provide the health care I desperately needed."
Zurawski said, after the abortion procedure to save her life, she again crashed into septic shock and was in the intensive care unit for three days.
"My family flew in from across the country for fear that I wouldn't make it through the night," she said.
The abortion ban had gone back into effect only days before Zurawski found out her baby wouldn't live, and seeing Trump and supporters brag about overturning Roe v Wade has been difficult for her.
"It is unthinkable to me that anyone could cheer on the cruel abortion bans that nearly took my life, but they do," she said.
Walz also addressed the concern over Biden's health, too. When asked if Biden would be able to speak on issues such as abortion without a teleprompter, Walz said he was confident, but that it's not the time for men to be delivering messages about abortion.
"As a man, it's time to shut the hell up and stand back," he said. "I think it's much more important that we have the narratives of the people who are out there."
(11:45 a.m.)
— Laura Schulte
U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman talks police shooting, lack of focus on abortion
In an interview on Wisconsin Media Row on Wednesday morning, U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman said his convention experience is "all positive."
He's been to four Republican conventions but said this has been "the best of the four because Milwaukee's the best city. It's a hidden gem." He thinks constituents in his district are "paying a little more attention" to the RNC because it's in Milwaukee.
Asked for his response to Columbus, Ohio, police shooting and killing a homeless man about a mile from the RNC Tuesday, Grothman said he saw the body camera footage.
"Some guy was trying to attack another guy with two knives," Grothman said. "Sometimes on these shootings, you got to really wonder, what was the police supposed to do, right? Let the guy get stabbed to death?"
After little talk of abortion in the party platform and in convention speeches, Grothman said he'll take Trump's word that it's an issue left to the states.
"I don't expect to be voting on any pro-life, pro-abortion bans in the next two years that he's president ... next four years, really."
(11:20 a.m.)
— Hope Karnopp and Tamia Fowlkes
Music video featuring Amber Rose is played at RNC
A music video of the song, "Trump Trump Baby," was played at the RNC. The song, by Trump-supporting rapper, Forgiato Blow, is rapped to the tune of Vanilla Ice's 1990 "Ice Ice Baby."
Amber Rose, the model, influencer and former reality TV star who spoke Monday night, appears in the video, with Rose and Forgiato Blow donning red MAGA hats as they dance to the music.
Erin Reed, a writer and researcher who tracks anti-transgender legislation, posted about the video on X and said that "the audience was silent afterwards."
(11:05 a.m.)
— Amy Schwabe
Who is Babydog Justice? Meet the English bulldog charming RNC attendees
People who tuned in to broadcast coverage of Tuesday evening's program at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee got an unexpected treat during a speech from West Virginia Republican Gov. Jim Justice.
Justice, a member of a prominent coal mining family who's now running for U.S. Senate, told the crowd, "We become totally unhinged if Donald Trump is not elected in November."
Then the camera angle widened, bringing a short and stout bulldog into frame, tongue out, appearing to listen attentively to her owner's words.
That's Babydog Justice. And she's something of a star.
(11 a.m.)
— Madeline Heim
Milwaukee mayor acknowledges ‘some concerns’ from businesses during RNC
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson on Wednesday morning said he had heard “some concerns” that business isn’t booming outside the immediate area of the RNC.
“Some have said their expectations have not been met,” he said at a press conference outside Milwaukee City Hall. “While it’s absolutely true that millions and millions of dollars will be spent in connection with the convention, that money is not necessarily flowing through … every single corner of the economy.”
He said he had heard from businesses and restaurants in and near downtown that had been expecting more people to come through their doors.
Johnson said he has been encouraging convention attendees to explore, shop and eat in the city.
(9:35 a.m.)
— Alison Dirr
Johnson says he spoke with Trump
Johnson said that, on Tuesday afternoon, he had a “very pleasant conversation” with Trump.
“Mr. Trump had positive things to say about his experience so far here in Milwaukee,” Johnson said at an early morning press conference outside City Hall. “He shared his gratitude for the security and for law enforcement preparations.”
Johnson — a Democrat and a vocal supporter of Trump’s rival in November’s election, President Joe Biden — said he appreciated the call.
The mayor also said he wished Trump a quick recovery after Saturday’s attempted assassination at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.
(8:45 a.m.)
— Alison Dirr
City estimates only 15% of permitted demonstrators appearing for speaking slots at RNC, Johnson says
Few of the people who were scheduled to demonstrate at the two city-designated zones on the north and south sides of the RNC “hard” perimeter and the march route actually showed up Tuesday, Johnson said.
That continued a trend that began Monday, the RNC's first day.
Johnson estimated about 15% of those who registered appeared.
Ahead of the four-day convention, about 140 individuals, groups and organizations had been granted permits by the City of Milwaukee to demonstrate at designated areas outside the credentials-only space where the RNC is being held.
The northern podium is located at Haymarket Square near Fiserv Forum, the primary RNC venue.
The southern podium is located at Zeidler Union Square Park near the Baird Center. This is also the start and end point for the city-designated march route.
(8:30 a.m.)
— Alison Dirr
Johnson says Ohio officers appear to have saved other man's life in fatal shooting
The morning after Ohio police in town for the RNC fatally shot a homeless man, Johnson said the officers' response appeared to have saved another man's life.
"No one, absolutely no one, wanted this outcome, and I anticipate a full as well as thorough investigation," Johnson said. "The deceased individual had family, had friends, and my thoughts certainly are with them. My thoughts are also with the police officers from Columbus, Ohio. I'm sure they did not expect to be drawn into a tragic situation such as the one that they were involved in yesterday."
He added: "The information we have leaves a clear impression that these Columbus officers, they saved the life of an unarmed man from death or perhaps serious injury."
On Tuesday afternoon, five officers from Columbus, Ohio shot and killed a man identified by a cousin as Samuel Sharpe Jr., who lived in one of Milwaukee's tent encampments and was known in the near west side neighborhood around King Park.
Thirteen Columbus officers were holding a briefing when they saw an altercation between two people, one of whom had a knife in each hand, according to preliminary information provided by Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman late Tuesday.
He didn't drop the knives when ordered to by police and instead suddenly lunged at the other person, which is when police opened fire, Norman said.
(8:20 a.m.)
— Alison Dirr
Jon Stewart explains why 'The Daily Show' canceled Milwaukee RNC plans
On “The Daily Show” Tuesday night, Jon Stewart talked about the show’s cancellation of its planned appearances in Milwaukee.
“The Daily Show” was originally slated to tape its Monday through Thursday episodes in front of an audience at the Marcus Performing Arts Center. On his Tuesday night show — the first "Daily Show" episode since the start of the RNC — Stewart said one of the reasons for canceling Milwaukee plans was that the Marcus Performing Arts Center shifted from the soft security perimeter to the hard security perimeter.
“You don’t want to be in the hard perimeter,” Stewart joked, adding that law enforcement had added “cages around the theater” and that, “We didn’t feel we’d be able to do the show effectively without people.”
(7:40 a.m.)
— Amy Schwabe
Nielsen reports more than 18 million viewers tuned in for Day 1 of the RNC
More than 18 million viewers turned on their televisions to watch the first night of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, according to Nielsen, a company that measures media audiences.
That’s higher than viewership on Day 1 of the 2020 convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, which was about 12 million, Nielsen said in a Tuesday release. These numbers don’t include people streaming the convention online.
TV coverage changed the nature of political conventions, USA TODAY has reported, making them more choreographed and strategic. In turn, viewership has dropped as audiences have started to feel like they know what to expect when they tune in. In 2020, for example, 23.8 million Americans watched broadcasts of the Republican convention, according to Nielsen, compared to 32.2 million in 2016.
Viewership is typically highest on the last day of the convention.
(7 a.m.)
— Madeline Heim
Weather forecast for RNC Day 3 in Milwaukee: Pleasant temps, with a slight chance of afternoon rain
After a steamy start to the Republican National Convention on Monday, Wednesday’s weather forecast again looks to be cooler, with a slight chance of rain in the afternoon and evening.
Milwaukee will be mostly sunny Wednesday with a high of 79 degrees, according to the National Weather Service, with a 20% chance of showers after 2 p.m. There’s also a 20% chance of showers in the evening before 9 p.m.
The city can expect “pleasant weather” the rest of the week, the weather service said on X, with below-average temperatures and few chances for rain.
(6:30 a.m.)
— Madeline Heim
RNC Day 3 schedule: Here's the Republican National Convention time, events for Wednesday
The fourth official session of the convention will be at Fiserv Forum Wednesday from 5:45 to 10 p.m. The official speakers list is released mid-day ahead of the nighttime event.
Convention-related events are taking place around the city and southeast Wisconsin. They include screenings of "Reagan," the 2024 Dennis Quaid-led biopic of the former president; a breakfast hosted by the New Hampshire GOP at Grand Geneva Forum in Lake Geneva; a delegation luncheon hosted by the Utah Republican Party at Hubbard Park Lodge; a Lakefront brewery lunch and tour hosted by Washington state delegation; the Great American Farm Fair at Malchine Farms; and two events at the Harley-Davidson Museum: a Hogs and Dogs concert in the afternoon and Europe Night in the evening.
Many events require tickets or registration; more information can be found here.
The convention isn't open to the general public, but according to an RNC spokesperson, you can stream it on YouTube, X, Facebook Live, Rumble, Amazon Prime, Twitch and Direct TV. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel will also stream RNC events, as will the City Channel.
The official convention watch party takes place each day at the Drink Wisconsinbly Pub, 320 W. Highland Ave., across from Fiserv Forum. It's set to start at 5:45 p.m.
(6 a.m.)
— Amy Schwabe and Jordyn Noennig
When does the RNC end?
The convention runs through Thursday, July 18.
How to watch the RNC convention
The convention venues are closed to all but delegates, politicians, media members and volunteers. However, there are plenty of ways to watch the RNC. Numerous platforms will stream the convention, including the Journal Sentinel. Fox News Media will also have coverage across all of its platforms.
(5:30 a.m.)
— Hope Karnopp
What's the RNC convention location?
Fiserv Forum, home of the Milwaukee Bucks, is the main venue for the RNC. That's also where the first Republican debate was held in August. Thousands of delegates will gather there to hear the big speeches.
The nearby University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panther Arena and the Baird Center will also be used as spaces for the event.
Here's more about each venue:
(5 a.m.)
— Hope Karnopp
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: RNC 2024 convention Day 3 review: JD Vance accepts VP nomination
