GREEN BAY — The 60 chairs were occupied for half an hour before U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren delivered her speech promoting the economic program of the Democratic presidential candidate at the Green Bay Labor Temple.
Some participants brought their lawn chairs, which narrowed the aisle, leaving only four seats in front of the wall with the signs reading “It’s better in a union.” More seats were brought out. Some still remained in the aisle.
Among those in attendance, ranging from youth to seniors, were Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich, former state Senator Dave Hansen and Democratic candidate for the state Assembly District Jane Benson.
It was the fourth stop for the Massachusetts senator on her Wisconsin tour, which began in Grafton on Monday to promote Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris’ economic plan. According to the latest Marquette poll, Harris is so far trailing Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in polls on the most pressing campaign issue for Wisconsin residents.
Warren was escorted out to a standing ovation by Dr. Kristen Lyerly, the Democratic nominee for the 8th Congressional District, and United Auto Workers Local 72 Vice President John Drew, a repeat of the reception she received last week at the Democratic National Convention.
“It’s nice to be in the House of Labor,” she said to applause.
Tony Wen, communications coordinator for the Harris-Waltz campaign in Wisconsin, told the Press-Gazette that Warren is expected to comment on vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance, who is also scheduled to speak about the economy in De Pere on Wednesday. The former Harvard law professor and current senator, however, did not mention Vance.
Here’s what you need to know about Warren’s performance.
A nightmare in Trump (and Vance, in everything but name)
The senator represented the bold vision of another presidency led by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
The examples Warren and the panel used to illustrate this narrative come from the issues that the American electorate has associated Warren with since her 2020 presidential campaign: medical costs and jobs.
Warren recalled the Trump administration’s efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which were narrowly defeated in the Senate by former Senator John McCain’s no vote, and warned that Trump would try again if re-elected.
“They want to talk about choice, the Republicans want your health care. The Democrats want to expand your health care,” Warren said.
“Keep it up, Libby,” shouted a participant from the front.
“You bet I’m hot,” Warren replied, slamming her fist against her teal blazer.
Since early August, Trump has deviated from his campaign promise to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
Union activist Drew and Warren recalled Trump’s major donors to his campaign to portray a second Trump presidency as something that “serves him and his billionaire friends.”
Third topic: The economy
Warren made the Harris campaign’s continuation of the Biden administration’s caps on prescription drug costs and support for expanding union participation by reviving the PRO Act of 2021 a major issue.
“Donald Trump and the Republicans know that prices have gone up, they know that much,” she said. “But what is their solution?”
“Tariffs,” some participants answered.
“Does it have something to do with a wand?” asked Warren. “There’s no answer to that.”
Trump recently doubled down on imposing tariffs as a centerpiece of his economic policy, calling for a 20% tariff on imports instead of the 10% originally proposed. In June, he announced he would support a bill that would not tax service workers’ tips. Harris followed suit in August. A second Trump presidency would aim to extend the 2017 tax cuts indefinitely, reduce the corporate tax rate to 15% and eliminate taxes on Social Security benefits.
In its four-and-a-half-page economic platform announced on August 16, the Harris campaign promises a $25,000 down payment for new homebuyers, a nationwide ban on price gouging, a $6,000 child tax credit and expanded negotiations with pharmaceutical companies over prescription drugs for Medicare patients.
Harris’ economic proposals would increase budget deficits by $2 trillion over 10 years, assuming a constant rate of economic growth, according to budget modeling by the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton Business School. By the same measure, Trump’s proposals would increase the deficit by $4.1 trillion.
“We count on you”
It was just after 11 a.m. and Warren had to leave for her next stop in Appleton. Nimbus clouds were gathering, threatening rain over the area.
She made a final appeal that prolonged the event beyond half an hour.
“It’s going to come down to you, Wisconsin,” she said. “I say this as a representative of the other 49 states, of DC and Puerto Rico, to say, ‘Please, Wisconsin, we’re counting on you.'”
Jesse Lin is a reporter covering Green Bay and politics in northeast Wisconsin. Reach him at 920-431-8247 or [email protected].
