Donald Trump is returning to the campaign trail with events in Michigan and Wisconsin, two critical Midwest battlegrounds that he won in 2016 but have mostly vexed Republicans since then. He will speak about the US-Mexico border in Grand Rapids, Michigan, before traveling to Green Bay, Wisconsin, for his first rally in the state since announcing his third White House bid. This comes after a lull in Trump’s campaign activity since becoming the presumptive GOP nominee, with President Joe Biden ramping up his own political events in these critical states. Trump has been active on social media, attacking his Democratic rival and those involved in his legal cases.
Trump’s surprise victories in Michigan and Wisconsin in 2016 were seen as a seismic shift in the political landscape, with hopes of a Republican realignment in the Rust Belt. However, subsequent elections saw Republicans struggle to replicate Trump’s success, culminating in Biden narrowly winning these states in 2020. Democrats also gained control of governors’ offices and Senate seats in these states, setting up a more competitive landscape for future elections. Polls suggest Michigan and Wisconsin remain challenging for Biden and an opportunity for Trump to secure electoral votes.
Efforts to subvert the 2020 election, including by enlisting fake electors, have roiled Republican politics in Michigan and Wisconsin, aided at times by Trump. He has continued to spread lies about the election results, leading to tensions within the GOP. Trump’s focus on Wisconsin as a “must-win state” in 2024 reflects the importance of these battlegrounds in future elections. The Biden campaign has accused Trump of spreading lies and inciting violence, highlighting the contentious nature of politics in these states.
Trump’s campaign has focused on the themes of immigration and crime, similar to his strategy in 2016, to court voters in Michigan and Wisconsin. He plans to highlight Biden’s policies at the border and raise concerns about the auto industry under another Biden term. Trump has invited the family of a victim of a crime allegedly committed by an undocumented immigrant to his event in Michigan, emphasizing his stance on immigration. Despite Michigan being far from the border, it has become a focal point for immigration discussions in the state.
The Biden campaign has criticized Trump’s stance on border security, pointing to his role in killing a bipartisan Senate deal that would have increased investments in this area. They argue that Trump’s focus on immigration is purely political and that he does not genuinely care about border security. As Trump returns to the campaign trail in Michigan and Wisconsin, the political landscape in these critical battlegrounds remains uncertain, with both parties vying for support and focusing on key issues such as immigration and crime to appeal to voters.
