Democratic Vice-Presidential candidate Tim Walz campaigned in Racine Tuesday night, hoping for a repeat of Democratic support that saw President Joe Biden win all 36 wards in the city four years ago against Republican Donald Trump.
A re-run could be essential for the Harris/Walz ticket, as it appears to remain in a close race statewide against Trump this year.
One message the Minnesota governor emphasized at Racine’s Memorial Hall was the support he and presidential candidate Kamala Harris have for personal privacy and freedom.
"When it comes to who we love or the families that we want, just mind your own damn business! Mind your own business! That’s not, that is not a catchphrase. That is a golden rule to live by, and your life will be better. Your life will be better," Walz said, to cheers.
Addison Deckert, who is married and recently moved from Illinois to Racine, appreciated Walz’s remarks.
“I’m trans, so having that freedom, being able to walk out in the open and feeling like I can be myself really means a lot to me. It’s nice to see someone open to diversity," Deckert told WUWM.
Walz also stopped at a Black-owned business on Racine’s north side to chat with the owner and other Black entrepreneurs. During the portion of the discussion open to WUWM and other reporters, Walz talked about ways to help new businesses succeed.
“You know, forgivable loans to start with. What is it going to take to make that happen? Because I truly believe, as you know, you don’t need gatekeepers on your money, you don’t need gatekeepers on your community. Once a community is empowered, it’ll solve what it needs to solve," Walz said to the small group.
Last week, Vice President Harris laid out an Opportunity Agenda for Black men, offering what her campaign calls tools to achieve financial freedom.
Wisconsin Republicans were unimpressed by Walz’s visit, claiming he and Harris have an "extreme agenda in store for America."
The Trump/Vance campaign announced that GOP Vice-Presidential candidate J.D. Vance will speak at Memorial Hall in Racine on Monday evening, Oct. 28.
On the first day of in-person early voting in Wisconsin, Walz and former President Barack Obama also spoke in Madison on Tuesday.
