President Biden to visit Milwaukee, tout economy as 2024 nears
MILWAUKEE - President Joe Biden will visit Milwaukee to discuss the economy Wednesday, Dec. 20.
The road to the White House runs through Wisconsin; its status as a battleground state is something on which Democrats and Republicans agree.
"As goes Wisconsin, so goes the nation," said Chris Walton, former Milwaukee County Democratic chair. "We are the deciders in this country of the presidential election."
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"The presidential election will once again come down to the state of Wisconsin," said U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil (R-Wisconsin).
Political forecasters at the Cook Political Report and the University of Virginia Center for Politics both consider Wisconsin one of four toss-up states. If you don't believe it, check out the president and vice president's schedules.
President Biden arrives in Milwaukee
Wednesday marks Biden's third trip to Wisconsin this year alone. Vice President Kamala Harris just announced she's coming to Wisconsin next month. It's the state where Republicans will host their 2024 National Convention – the same place Democrats chose in 2020.
Biden’s team said the president will discuss what they call "Bidenomics" and a small business boom Wednesday. The White House reports a record number of new business applications: 14.6 million.
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"I think it’s going to be about how good the economy is getting. The economy is growing very steadily, over 5% in the last quarter," Walton said. "We’re looking at over 14 million new jobs created in this administration, an unemployment rate at about 3.5%. We are booming economically.
"(The) Black unemployment rate nationwide is at the lowest it’s been in history. These are stats we can throw off and throw out, but we need to make sure those stats can be felt."
Republicans look to counter on the key election issue.
"I think it’s good the president is coming to Milwaukee, but I hope that he talks to people who are actually suffering under Bidenonomics. Everything is 17% more expensive than when the president took office. In large part that’s due to his policies that have driven inflation higher, particularly reckless spending.
"People have been clobbered by Bidenomics. People have been unable to afford the things that their families need. And I think we need to dramatically change course in this country."
With control of the White House on the line, campaigns and candidates have roughly 320 days to win your vote. As this week shows, they're already trying.
A national Marquette University Law School poll found 73% of American voters rated the economy either "poor" or "not so good." The same poll found 51% thought Donald Trump would do a better job on the economy, while 30% thought Biden would do better.