RACINE, Wis. (Civic Media) — The last time a vice presidential candidate came to Racine’s Memorial Hall, Paul Ryan was running with Mitt Romney 12 years ago. Back then, Liz Cheney was voting Republican and Tim Walz was in Congress.
Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz rallied supporters in Racine Tuesday night, addressing a few hundred supporters, urging them to cast their ballots before November 5th. Walz, the Minnesota governor, praised his running mate, Vice President Kamala Harris, saying, “No one has ever been more qualified to be President of the United States.”
The rally followed an Walz appearance earlier in the day with former President Barack Obama in Madison. Both Obama and his wife Michelle have previously spoken at the same Racine venue that hosted Walz Tuesday.
VP candidate Tim Walz is greeted at Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee by Mayor Cavalier Johnson, Milwaukee County Board Chairwoman Marcelia Nicholson, Wauwatosa Mayor Dennis McBride and West Allis Dan Devine pic.twitter.com/yt86YPrizz
— Ricardo🇨🇺 🇵🇷Torres Ⓜ️ (@RicoReporting) October 22, 2024
Local Democratic leaders took the stage before Walz. Greta Neubauer, representative for the 66th Assembly District, emphasized Racine’s union heritage and promised the Harris-Walz administration would restore manufacturing jobs. Racine Mayor Cory Mason highlighted the importance of voting, referencing a past Racine referendum that passed by just five votes. Peter Barca, Democratic candidate for the 1st Congressional District, advocated for middle-class policies and criticized Republican stances on trade and taxes.
Walz was introduced by Andrea Dyess. She’s a cancer survivor from Racine who says she benefited from the Affordable Care Act. Dyess said she believes a Harris-Walz White House would preserve the program.
In his speech, Walz portrayed Harris as a dedicated public servant and criticized former President Donald Trump’s stamina on the campaign trail. He reiterated Harris’s promise of $25,000 down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers and emphasized their stance on gun ownership and background checks.
Walz also addressed a recent report about Trump’s alleged admiration for Hitler’s generals, expressing disgust and warning supporters about the potential consequences of another Trump term. Hearing the report in The Atlantic, Walz said it “made him sick as hell.” A Trump spokesman said the claim was “absolutely false.”
The campaign continues in Southeastern Wisconsin, with the second gentleman scheduled for a get-out-the-vote rally in Kenosha on Thursday. Republican VP candidate JD Vance will speak at the same Racine Memorial Hall venue Monday. There’s information about how to vote early at CivicMedia.us/VOTE.
