The nation is gearing up for the 2024 presidential election and Milwaukee was the site of the first major election-related event. It was the debate among eight GOP presidential hopefuls, held at the Fiserv Forum. The Republican National Committee distributed tickets to thousands of the party faithful. Before the debate, Democratic leaders and union workers demonstrated downtown to get their voices heard.
As guests approached the Fiserv Forum, they were greeted by more than 100 protesters representing pro-union groups. But before the group marched to the arena, they gathered at No Studios for a rally called Unions for All. The chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Jaime Harrison, was among the speakers.
"The Republican party didn’t build America," Harrison said. "The middle class built this country and guess who built the middle class — unions built the middle class. It seems like some people have forgotten that, particularly the eight that’s on the stage and the one that I don’t know wherever he is."
Harrison was talking about former president Donald Trump who opted out of the debate. Harrison emphasized the importance of Wisconsin voters.
"That classic battle between hope and fear is right back here and guess who’s in the center of that political universe? It is the good people in Wisconsin," he said.
Milwaukee will host the Republican National Convention next year. Wisconsin, like in previous elections, will be crucial in selecting the next president. That’s why Alondra Garcia shared her perspective at the pro-union event. Garcia is a member of Voces de la Frontera — the largest immigrant advocacy group in Wisconsin. Garcia emigrated from Mexico at 3 years old and later became a DACA recipient. She said her job is a dream come true. She works as a bilingual elementary educator with Milwaukee Public Schools.
"DACA has allowed me to live a limited American dream," Garcia said. "But why do I say limited, you may ask. It is limited because even with a driver’s license, a work permit and paying our taxes, DACA recipients are not considered American enough. We are treated as second class. We do not have a permanent residency, we are not allowed to vote, we are not allowed to travel outside of the U.S. without advance parole, and we do not have a legal pathway towards citizenship."
Protesters held signs that read “no hate no fear, immigrants are welcome here” and “workers will decide this election.”
One of those workers is Jay Klamer, a nurse and member of the leadership council of UW Health Nurses United.
"Anybody who wants to get in that White House has to do what we need, what the families of this country need to support themselves, support their loved ones, to live, to eat, to breathe, to have the ability to be themselves and live a life of dignity," he said.
Klamer said he hopes to hear about support for the working class from the GOP presidential candidates.
"They have the ability, the power to change that if they’re willing to go against the grain of their mainstream ideals that only support corporate greed and wealthy Americans, and support the working class and the regular people who are struggling right now."
The Service Employees International Union organized the event. Klamer says the SEIU has gone door-to-door for its canvassing efforts and will continue to do so through 2024.
