Donald Trump targets Joe Biden on economy, immigration at Waukesha rally (2024)

WAUKESHA — Donald Trump used his day away from a New York courtroom where he faces charges of falsifying business records to campaign in a western Milwaukee suburb that’s pivotal to the former president’s hopes of reclaiming the White House.

He also used the event to again go after the judge in his criminal case, a day after he was found him in contempt of court and fined $9,000 for making comments about people connected to the trial.

“I got indicted ... for nothing,” Trump said. “I have a crooked judge, he’s a totally conflicted judge. It’s unfortunately in a 95% or so Democrat area.”

While the gag order Trump was found to have violated bars him from making public statements about witnesses, jurors and some others connected to the case, he is still free to criticize the judge, Juan M. Merchan.

The ongoing trial has eaten into Trump’s ability to campaign, with Wednesday the former president’s only day outside of the courtroom this week. After his rally in Waukesha, Trump flew to fellow battleground state Michigan for another campaign event.

Speaking at the Waukesha County Expo Center, Trump largely avoided talking about the case, which he referred to as a “weaponization of the justice system.”

Instead, he returned to his criticism of President Joe Biden’s policies, which the former president said have “unleashed mayhem” on the economy and nation’s southern border — two major issues for Republican voters heading into the November election.

“The choice for Wisconsin is simple: If you want lower costs, higher income, and an affordable American dream, then you have no choice but to vote for Donald J Trump,” the former president said.

Richard Baehnman, who drove from Appleton to attend his first Trump rally Wednesday, said the economy is the biggest issue on his mind heading into the November election.

“It’s the first thing you think of when you get in your car and you go to get gasoline or you go to the grocery store and groceries seem to cost a lot more than they used to, even just a year ago,” Baehnman, 70, said.

Trump also took aim at the pro-Palestinian protests taking place on college campuses across the country, including at UW-Madison, where protesters clashed with police on Wednesday. Trump called on local leaders to “vanquish the radicals” and “take back our campuses.”

With the economy and inflation a common talking point among voters, the Biden campaign has been touting his administration’s efforts to forgive student loan debt and expand eligibility to overtime pay for salaried workers.

“Wisconsinites are throwing their support behind President Biden because his focus is on empowering American workers,” Brianna Johnson, Wisconsin spokesperson for Biden’s campaign, said in a statement Wednesday.

At his rally, Trump dismissed Biden’s student loan forgiveness efforts, adding that “we’re going to take care of our students better than they’ve ever been taken care of before,” without providing specifics.

Abortion issue

Democrats also continue to hammer Trump on the issue of abortion rights after the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision struck down Roe v. Wade nearly two years ago. The issue of reproductive health is also expected to weigh heavily on voters’ minds this fall, particularly among moderates and suburban women — a voter block Trump has struggled to secure.

While Trump had backed a national ban on abortions and pledged to overturn Roe v. Wade in his 2016 campaign, the former president has softened his stance in the face of increased backlash.

Trump said earlier this month he was proud to have ended the constitutional right to abortion under Roe. Trump also said he does not endorse a nationwide ban on abortions but instead supports leaving the matter up to the states.

“Basically, the states decide on abortion and people are absolutely thrilled with the way that’s going on,” Trump said.

WOW counties

Trump’s rally underscores the continued GOP focus on Wisconsin’s WOW counties of Waukesha, Ozaukee and Washington, which wrap around Milwaukee and include the state’s largest concentration of Republican voters.

“Obviously, what happens around Milwaukee is very, very important, including in the WOW counties,” Republican Party of Wisconsin chair Brian Schimming told reporters. “We have an active organization out here already, we have as many field people as any state has in the field already, so we’re not waiting around for anything.”

While still solidly red, the three counties have seen slipping GOP margins in recent statewide elections. Democrats have said boosted turnout in liberal strongholds like Madison and Milwaukee, paired with growing numbers in the WOW counties, should help propel Biden to a second term this fall.

A battleground

Wednesday’s rally was Trump’s second in Wisconsin this election cycle, followed by his April rally in Green Bay — held on the same day as the state’s presidential primary.

Both Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have each made three stops in Wisconsin so far this year as both campaigns gear up for what many expect to be another close race in the battleground state this November.

Trump and Biden are locked in a neck-and-neck matchup in the battleground state, according to a Marquette Law School poll released last month.

The poll showed 51% of respondents — including both registered and likely voters — backed Trump, while 49% supported Biden, well within the poll’s 4.8% margin of error.

Polling in early November found Biden receiving support from 50% of respondents, compared with 48% for Trump. In February, polling was deadlocked in Wisconsin with both candidates receiving 49%.