Milwaukee Could Be Crucial in Determining the Outcome of the 2024 Presidential Election
With one year remaining until the 2024 presidential election, Wisconsin is poised to be a critical battleground state that could determine the winner. Former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden, both of whom have previously won Wisconsin, appear to be on a path towards a potential rematch.
Wisconsin: The Tipping Point State
Anthony Chergosky, Assistant Political Science Professor at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, believes that Wisconsin could once again be the tipping point state. In other words, the candidate who wins Wisconsin will likely cross the threshold required to secure victory in the Electoral College, thus winning the presidential election.
A former President Donald Trump supporter stands near the Fiserv Forum as set up continues for the upcoming Republican presidential debate Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
The Republican Party is well aware of Wisconsin’s significance and has chosen Milwaukee as the host city for its nominating convention next summer. However, Chergosky doubts that the energy surrounding the convention will sustain until Election Day.
The Importance of the Midwest
Chergosky emphasizes that the presence of the nominating convention in Wisconsin reflects the extreme importance of the state. The Midwest, including Michigan and Pennsylvania, is likely to play a crucial role in the Electoral College. These three key Midwest states could ultimately decide the outcome of the 2024 presidential election.
Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Janet Protasiewicz attends her first hearing as a justice Sept. 7, 2023, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)
The Democratic Strategy and the Impact of Abortion Rights
Democrats in Wisconsin have primarily focused on the issue of abortion rights in their efforts to gain support. This strategy has proven successful with the re-election of Governor Tony Evers and the support for Justice Janet Protasiewicz, who shifted the ideological balance of the state Supreme Court. While the issue of abortion remains unresolved in the legal system, Chergosky predicts that talk of a national abortion ban will reignite the topic on the campaign trail.
According to Chergosky, abortion will play a significant role in the 2024 presidential election. It serves as both a motivator for the Democratic base and has the potential to sway undecided voters. The role that abortion played in the 2022 Midterm elections foreshadows its influence in the upcoming general election.
Wisconsin, with its status as a crucial swing state, will undoubtedly be at the center of attention as the road to the White House runs through it. The outcome in Wisconsin could ultimately determine which party emerges as the victor in the 2024 presidential election.