up. you. Charles Franklin, in most
presidential elections, pundits the last minute news story that
can change the trajectory of an election. But this year, the
biggest shift took place in July, when President Joe Biden
announced he was stepping aside, allowing for Kamala Harris to
become the Democratic nominee. One significant way this change
things on the ground is in voter enthusiasm. And as we just
discussed, the latest Marquette poll shows enthusiasm is higher
among Democrats than Republicans "Here& Now", senior political
reporter Zach Schultz shows us how this has changed the race in
Wisconsin. great.
>> Here's a couple on a beautiful fall day, the office
of the Ozaukee Democrats is bustling.
people wanting to volunteer ever.
county party and is getting ready for a visit from Gwen
Wahls, wife of vice presidential nominee Tim Walz. Well, good
afternoon, Ozark Democrats. Ozark County is the O. In the
famed Wow counties. The three conservative hotbeds that
surround Milwaukee County and make up the base of the
traditional Republican Party of Wisconsin.
to 400 signs last week. We've got ten left by the end of the
day. >> Another thousand Harris signs
have been dropped off, waiting to be assembled and put up in
yards. A visual reminder of the growing Democratic strength in
suburban Wisconsin. >> It wasn't too long ago that a
visit from someone like Walz and supporters buying yard signs in
Ozaukee County was unthinkable. Four months ago, this was
unthinkable. that night and when President
Biden walked out, I was like, oh boy.
Joe Biden debated Donald Trump. >> The mood here was very
solemn, and we actually had people say, I'm not. I'm going
to vote for him. But I'm not going to do doors. You know, I'm
not going to volunteer a few weeks later, the Republican
National Convention came to Milwaukee.
>> The polling showed Trump with a lead in Wisconsin and
Republicans with a huge advantage in voter enthusiasm.
>> The enthusiasm gap for Donald Trump versus Joe Biden is 22
points, 22 points by the end of the week.
>> Bryan Schimming, the chairman of the Republican Party of
Wisconsin, was warning delegates not to be overconfident about a
Trump win. >> It's not just rhetoric. It
affects the way we run our parties, the way we volunteer,
the way we run door to door programs. It affects everything.
So we got to go for the win that Sunday.
campaign and dropped out of the race.
forward is to pass the torch to a new generation.
>> Kamala Harris quickly gathered enough support to
become the nominee, and Democratic candidates across the
state felt the mood change at the doors overnight.
>> I did feel like I was kind of running a roving therapy session
for relieved Democrats at the doors occasionally because
everyone who was a partisan wanted to talk to you about that
and how they felt about it. >> There's definitely been a
shift in enthusiasm. >> Kristy Welch is running for
assembly and also serves as chair of the Brown County
Democrats. She says voter enthusiasm is more than just
being excited to vote with Kamala at the top of the ticket.
>> We definitely saw a major increase in people, you know,
filling out our volunteer form on our website, calling into the
office, stopping by. the nomination at the Democratic
National Convention, she had taken the lead in the polls and
closed the enthusiasm gap. >> Yeah, so there's certainly
been a shift in enthusiasm. I actually just ran into some
folks that I saw about two months ago, and our faces looked
a little bit different. And look, with all due respect to
the president, there's certainly just a shift in energy.
>> By September, the debate tables were turned in terms of
workers rights. Democrats at a green Bay watch party hooted and
cheered as Harris delivered a strong performance.
>> Unfortunately, we need two things. We need walls we need
while Republicans across town were upset that some of Trump's
statements were being fact checked by moderators, the vote,
is that what you believe he's trying to do here?
in Madison, and it's great to be back in Madison, encouraging her
supporters to volunteer, trying to turn enthusiasm into action.
>> The election is basically here. It's basically here. And
we have work to do to energize, to organize and to mobilize and
to remind everyone your vote is your voice.
>> Republicans are asking the same thing of their supporters.
>> Remember, early mail in voting is underway. So vote,
vote, vote. You got to get goin. >> Bryan Schimming says
Republicans haven't lost on enthusiasm.
It's just no longer a blowout. It's very, very high out there.
It is not ebbed at all since the convention. It's really, really
good. The Democrats have to make up for lost time. So, so what
appears to be a jump in the enthusiasm gap on their end is
more getting getting rid of Joe Biden on Election Day.
>> An enthusiastic vote counts just the same as a reluctant
vote. But the campaigns hope an enthusiastic voter will bring
Nonvoters to the polls. >> I want you to try to be a
force multiplier over these next 16 days, because I don't just
want you to take yourself to the polls. I want every single
person in this room to get nine of their friends and family to
the polls with them. >> And all of this energy and
all of these rallies and all of the door knocks and all of the
phone calls and all of the money have to translate into something
so wonderful and so simple, that little I voted sticker on more
Wisconsin books than ever Wisconsin books than ever