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    • Kamala Harris in Madison, Donald Trump in Green Bay today: Live update
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    Kamala Harris in Madison, Donald Trump in Green Bay today: Live update

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    (This story was updated to add new information.)

    Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump will both make a return to Wisconsin Wednesday, less than a week from Election Day.

    Harris will host a Get Out the Vote rally in Madison, while Trump will deliver remarks in the Green Bay suburb of Ashwaubenon at the Resch Center.

    Harris’ rally will feature performances from Gracie Abrams, Mumford & Sons, Remi Wolf and The National’s Matt Berninger and Aaron Dessner, according to the campaign. Trump’s rally will feature former Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre.

    Both presidential candidates and their surrogates have canvassed the state over the last several weeks as Wisconsin will play a significant role in the election.

    The Journal Sentinel will provide live coverage of the day’s events. Refresh your browser for the latest updates:

    Pop singer Gracie Abrams performed “I Love You, I’m Sorry,” “Risk” and “Free Now” at Vice President Kamala Harris’ rally in Madison.

    25-year-old Abrams is the daughter of film director J.J. Abrams.

    She spent part of 2024 opening for Taylor Swift during the singer’s Eras Tour.

    “We’ve inherited a world that is struggling and it’s easy to feel disconnected and disillusioned between the advent of social media and our childhoods and COVID and relentlessly targeted disinformation,” she told attendees in a speech Wednesday.

    “We know that unless we vote and keep our democracy intact. There is nothing we will be able to do to fix it.” 

    ~~Tamia Folkes

    Gov. Tony Evers urged rallygoers to vote Democrat down the ballot, including for Kamala Harris, whose name he mispronounced multiple times. 

    “I know her,” he said. “She will forgive me.”

    He also promoted Sen. Tammy Baldwin, who is locked in a tight race against businessman Eric Hovde.

    “He doesn’t even go here!” Evers said, riffing on a popular line from the movie “Mean Girls” and a jab at Hovde’s California ties.

    To thunderous applause, Evers said the era of gerrymandered maps was over. He said Democrats will protect reproductive rights, take climate change seriously and support LGBTQ rights.

    “Your vote will matter now more than ever,” he said. 

    ~~Kelly Myerhofer

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    Donald Trump shows off MAGA garbage truck in Green Bay

    Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump visited Green Bay, Wisconsin, on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024.

    Former President Donald Trump spoke to reporters from a garbage truck ahead of a Wednesday night rally near Green Bay, an effort to highlight President Joe Biden’s comments in which he appeared to refer to Trump’s supporters as “garbage” when addressing offensive comments comedian Tony Hinchcliffe made at Trump’s rally on Sunday.

    Hinchcliffe had called Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage.”

    Biden and the White House quickly sought to clarify that Biden was referencing Hinchcliffe specifically.

    Trump in comments from the truck on Wednesday denied knowing “anything about a comedian,” according to video from CNN.

    “Nobody loves Puerto Rico more than me,” he said.

    When Trump took the stage at the Resch Center in the Green Bay suburb of Ashwaubenon, it was in an orange safety vest.

    He opened with a reference to Biden’s comment.

    MORE

    –Alison Dirr

    Vice President Kamala Harris’ plane touched down at Truax Airport in Madison around 6:30 p.m.

    Her motorcade is headed to Alliant Energy Center where thousands of supporters wait to hear her speak. 

    ~~Laura Schulte 

    The next musical act was Aaron Dessner and Matt Berninger of The National, an indie rock band. 

    Among the songs they performed were “Bloodbuzz Ohio,” “I Need My Girl” and “Fake Empire.

    Desnner posted his endorsement of Harris on Instagram, writing she would “fight for those who need it the most and pull our country toward a future of reason, decency and unity.”

    ~~Kelly Myerhofer

    Former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes joined the stage to hip-hop song, Swag Surfin’ by Fast Life Yungstaz.

    He touted Wisconsin’s high youth voter turnout rate, saying this made him the most optimistic about the future. 

    “We’ve seen just how how unstable the former president has been,” he said. “We’ve seen the lengths that he’s taken. We’ve seen the depths of depravity. But we’ve also seen opportunity, we’ve also seen hope. We’ve also seen a brighter future and a new way forward for this country.”

    ~~Kelly Meyerhofer

    Just at 6 p.m., U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida took the stage quickly followed by House Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota.

    Donalds painted a grim picture of the U.S. and offered Trump as the solution.

    “We got a guy who’s going to fix it all. He’s going to fire Kamala Harris with your help, and he’s going to be the 47th president of these United States and his name is Donald J. Trump,” Donalds said to cheers of “USA” from the crowd.

    Donalds and Emmer urged voters to turn out on Tuesday and to make sure their friends and family members do, too.

    Emmer offered the same message to vote. He also mocked and derided fellow Minnesotan and Harris’s running mate, Gov. Tim Walz, saying Walz had fallen apart after the debate with Trump’s running mate JD Vance.

    “The problem for Kamala is Tim was supposed to be her emotional support animal,” Emmer said. “Timmy was supposed to be the ones with the jazz hands doing the talking.”

    He also slammed Harris, saying she has been making mistakes.

    “You know how? She opens her mouth,” he said.

    —Alison Dirr 

    Singer Remi Wolfe opened the Harris rally with some funky soul pop music and a simple message.

    “Wisconsin, this election is unlike any other, so l urge you to go out and vote,” she told the crowd. “I urge you to vote early, by (Nov. 3) or make a plan for Election Day, drop your ballots off and bring your family and friends to the polls, because your vote in this election is so crucial in deciding the future of our freedom in this country.”

    Wolfe performed “Cinderella” and a cover of Janis Joplin’s “Piece of my Heart.”

    ~~Kelly Myerhofer

    As of 5:45 PM, hundreds of attendees are still standing outside of Alliant Energy Center awaiting the beginning of Kamala Harris rally in Madison.

    After getting through security checks, many attendees sprinted to the main entry of Alliant with plastic ponchos on. 

    ~~Tamia Fowlkes

    Hall of Fame ex-Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre closed his comments at Trump’s rally by slamming Harris, saying it would be “insane to give Kamala four more years in office.”

    “It’s time to bench Kamala and put in the star quarterback,” he said.

    -Alison Dirr

    Hours before Harris’ Rally in Madison was scheduled to begin, Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler said he was excited about the enthusiasm of the crowd pouring into Alliant Energy Center.

    “I think this place is gonna be packed,” Wikler said. “We have these amazing musical acts who are bringing their talent here to help Kamala Harris.”

    Wikler praised Harris for her closing arguments speech delivered on Tuesday in Washington, D.C. and said it provided a blueprint to the Harris-Walz campaign’s plan to elevate and support middle class Americans and protect democracy.Despite the tightness of the race, Wikler said he is “nauseously optimistic.”

    “The energy on the ground that I’m seeing in the volunteers knocking on doors, the huge crowds at rallies like this one all over the state, they give me the feeling that we can pull this off if we all do everything we can do,” Wikler said. 

    ~~Tamia Folkes

    Soon after Hall of Fame ex-Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre took the stage at Trump’s rally, he asked whether there were any fans of the football team present.

    The crowd erupted into cheers of “Go Pack Go!”

    “It’s an honor to be back here where it all started to campaign with the next president of the United States, Donald J. Trump,” he said.

    He compared the Packers to Trump’s organization, saying they’re both winners.

    And Favre slammed President Joe Biden’s comments in which he appeared to refer to Trump’s supporters as “garbage” when addressing offensive comments comedian Tony Hinchcliffe made at Trump’s rally on Sunday. Hinchcliffe had called Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage.”

    Biden and the White House quickly sought to clarify that Biden was referencing Hinchcliffe specifically.

    Favre, though, told supporters Wednesday that Biden’s message was that “we’re garbage.”

    “I can assure you, we’re not garbage,” Favre said. “How dare he say that? Looking out, I see police officers, teachers, nurses, grandparents, students. I see everyday Americans that make this country great.”

    He said he was getting involved because of the high stakes of Tuesday’s election.

    –Alison Dirr 

    On the corner of Oneida Street Lombardi Avenue, a solo protestor in a yellow rain jacket held a sign that read, “Put Trump in jail.” Matthew Mattila, of Green Bay, said it was his civic duty to spread the message.

    The sign was handwritten on the blank side of an old campaign sign for Mayor Eric Genrich. The sign, which was folded in half, also featured a side reading “Brett Favre is a disgrace.”

    Mattila said throughout the day he has received many thumbs ups and honks from people who agree with his sign. While some Trump supporters made disagreeing comments on their way to the rally, Mattila said he wasn’t there to engage in political debates.

    He also emphasized that he was there on behalf of himself on the specific issue on his sign, not on behalf of the Kamala Harris campaign.

    When early voting opened in Wisconsin on Oct. 22, Mattila was among the first groups in Green Bay to cast his ballot. He said he only waited in line for around 10 minutes when he went at 9:30 a.m., though later that afternoon the line was out the door. 

    ~~Vivian Barrett

    Remember that line that stretched three blocks to Morris Avenue, wrapped in on itself in the parking lot in front of the Resch Center,

    and that prompted exasperations of “We’re never getting in?”

    The tail end of it just entered the Resch Center at 5:06 p.m. with latecomers trickling in. 

    ~~Jesse Lin

    For many young voters, Nov. 5 marks the first election in which they’ll cast a ballot. Another first for some at the Alliant Energy Center: Their first political rally.

    “I might get to be in the room with our future president,” said Jessica Amaya, 29, of Chicago. “Why not be here?

    Amaya joined her cousin, a UW-Madison freshman, at the event. She said she was a big fan of Mumford & Sons.

    “It is incredibly empowering to see a woman of color on the ballot and have a chance,” Amaya said. “I never thought I would see that so early in my lifetime.”

    Leon, also from Chicago, registered to vote in Wisconsin where she said her vote would make more of a difference. She said the process on campus was easy to navigate.

    Other UW-Madison students buzzed about the rally a day earlier, with many speculating about a potential Taylor Swift appearance.

    “I just wanted to see the vibes,” Leon said.

    For Blackhawk Technical College student Lou McCully, Wednesday’s event marked their third rally. McCully, who uses they/them pronouns, said LGBTQ rights were important to them and their girlfriend.

    Harris was the main draw for McCully. But the music didn’t hurt”

    “I. Love. Gracie. Abrams.” McCully said. 

    ~~Kelly Myerhofer

    Inspired by Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, attendees at Vice President Kamala Harris’ concert rally are making friendship bracelets in the hallways of Alliant Energy Center.

    The pop singer endorsed Harris in September after a debate between Harris and former President Donald Trump.

    Several attendees have expressed their hope that Swift will make a surprise appearance at tonight’s rally. 

    Vice President Kamala Harris is heading to Madison Wednesday to bring her closing argument to Wisconsin’s liberal stronghold — and she’ll have some serious star power with her.

    The event, billed as her “When We Vote We Win” rally and concert, will feature performances from musicians Gracie Abrams, Mumford & Sons, Remi Wolf, and Matt Berninger and Aaron Dessner from The National. It’s being held at the Alliant Energy Center, not far from the UW-Madison campus.

    The rally comes as Harris and Republican former President Donald Trump are making a final push in Wisconsin and other swing states ahead Election Day on Tuesday. The two candidates are in a dead heat, according to a Marquette University Law School poll released Wednesday.

    MORE

    — Mary Spicuzza

    A band of thunderstorms is expected to hit Green Bay in a few minutes.

    Workers walking out of the Resch Expo yelled to arriving Trump supporters that “They’re gonna close the doors on you, run!”

    “We’re trying!” the supporters shouted back as lightning flashed. 

    ~~Jesse Lin

    Kelly Erkkila showed up to the Trump rally in Ashwaubenon wearing a cutout trash bag over her outfit, labeled with the phrase “Trump trash.” Erkkila said she had seen another attendee in similar attire.

    She said the outfit was a response to a comment made by President Joe Biden at a campaign event Tuesday night. At the event, Biden referred to Trump’s supporters as “garbage” in a response to comedian Tony Hinchcliffe calling Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage” at a Trump event over the weekend.

    “Mr. Biden called Trump voters trash yesterday, and I would be proud to call myself trash,” Erkkila said. 

    MORE

    ~~Vivian Barrett, Lawrence Andrea

    Harris supporters streamed into the Alliant Energy Center around 3 p.m. to a mix of Beyoncé and Taylor Swift songs, including “Cruel Summer.”

    A banner across the stage reads “Badgers for Harris-Walz.” Many rally attendees are UW-Madison students, a critical voting bloc Democrats hope will turn out on Nov. 5.

    Outside the arena, beads, string and clippers sat on a table. A sign invited people to make friendship bracelets, a nod to Taylor Swift fans swapping bands during the Eras tour.

    — Kelly Meyerhofer

    A man walked away from looking around the intersection of Mike McCarthy Way and Holmgren Way one block from the Resch Center.

    “Might as well go home,” he said to the people he passed, all muttering to themselves variations of “We’re not getting in” and “It just keeps going” after looking down the line that stretches as far as the eye can see.

    — Jesse Lin

    The Southern accent of the woman checking in the press was unmistakable.

    Sandra declined to give her last name but emphasized Hurricane Helene’s impact on her hometown of Chimney Rock, NC, about an hour’s drive from Asheville.

    She was a non-paid volunteer for Trump “who’s fighting to protect our country, fighting to protect our values,” in handing over press lanyards.

    — Jesse Lin

    A Japanese flag fluttered with the American flag, several “Trump 2024” flags, and a “Stop CCP” sign on the sidewalk opposite the Resch Center.

    Sho Morimota, a 24-year-old recent college graduate was dragged along by his mother and five other people from Japan’s Ishikawa prefecture. Morimota doesn’t agree with all of Trump’s policies himself; he was just interested in American politics.

    “We believe in Jesus, we believe God chose Trump to lead America,” a woman in Morimota’s entourage said in Japanese. She declined to give her name apart from saying “We’re Japanese.”

    Morimota said they’ve been traveling across the States — from Tennessee to Pennsylvania — to show their support for the person they believe will best challenge the Chinese Communist Party. And their journey has taken them to Green Bay just days away from the election.

    — Jesse Lin

    Cheers erupted from the large crowd outside the Resch Center just after 2:25 p.m. when the doors were officially opened for Trump’s rally.

    Voters dressed in Trump apparel and Brett Favre jerseys began filing into the venue, though the line keeps growing. At 2:30, the crowd filled the Ray Nitschke Field parking lot as attendees continued to join the group.

    — Vivian Barrett

    The Harris rally will be at the Alliant Energy Center, though the time has not been publicly announced.

    The effort to turn out UW-Madison students and Dane County voters comes about a month after Harris made her first visit to Wisconsin’s capital city since launching her presidential campaign in July. That also was at the Alliant Energy Center.

    Former President Barack Obama rallied the liberal base in Madison last week on the first day of early voting.

    The visits highlight Dane County’s increasing importance in elections as its population grows, outpacing others across the state.

    — Alison Dirr

    Trump is expected to speak at about 6 p.m. at the Resch Center. An advisory for the event suggested he would center his remarks on the economy.

    Wednesday’s event will mark Trump’s second stop in Green Bay this year. He made his first stop in the battleground state in April, when he rallied voters in a downtown Green Bay convention center.

    Trump’s running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, stopped in De Pere in late August.

    — Lawrence Andrea

    Harris will return to Wisconsin on Friday, the same day that Trump will hold a rally at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee.

    The competing appearances will mark the second time in this final week before the election that Harris and Trump will both be in this key swing state on the same day to make their closing pitches to voters.

    It wasn’t immediately clear where Harris would visit in Wisconsin, how many events she would hold and whether those would be rallies or smaller gatherings.

    Trump will return 7 p.m. Friday to the downtown arena where he formally accepted the nomination to run for a second term in the White House during the Republican National Convention in July.

    He’s expected to make an economic pitch to voters.

    “The movement to put Americans first is resonating with voters, even in deep blue Milwaukee, and is exactly why Wisconsin will flip red for the Trump-Vance ticket,” the campaign said in a statement announcing the visit.

    — Alison Dirr

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