In Fort Atkinson, new maps give Democrats Election Day hope
U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Gov. Tony Evers address a group of about three dozen members of the Jefferson County Democratic Party on Election Day. (Henry Redman | Wisconsin Examiner)
In Fort Atkinson, more than three dozen members of the Jefferson County Democratic Party — as well as a few joining from the neighboring Dodge and Walworth counties — packed into the small county party office to welcome U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Gov. Tony Evers before kicking off some last minute canvassing.
Full of excitement at the prospect of electing Democrats Melissa Ratcliff and Joan Fitzgerald to its seats in the state Senate and Assembly (both in attendance at the event) after years of Republican representation under the old legislative maps, the Democrats from a rural county nearly mid-way between the urban centers of Madison and Milwaukee said they were expecting wins on Tuesday.
"I think our country has weathered the storm, and grown in the process," Fort Atkinson Democrat Jim Marousis says.
Baldwin is running for re-election in one of the country's most closely watched Senate elections, with Democrats needing her to win in order to retain control of the chamber.
"We are the battleground state," Baldwin told the gathered group of supporters. "We will decide, most likely, who the next president is, what party controls the United States Senate, what party controls the House of Representatives. All could be decided right here in our state."
At the beginning of Baldwin's remarks, the crowd sang happy birthday to Evers, who is celebrating his 73rd birthday on Tuesday. Evers touted the work Baldwin has done in Wisconsin to secure supplies for the state during the COVID-19 pandemic and convince the federal Small Business Administration to provide loans to northern Wisconsin businesses last winter when a lack of snowfall shut down many winter recreational activities.
Evers said that the ground game of Wisconsin Democrats is going to make the difference for the party up and down the ticket on Tuesday, adding that he was hopeful the party would win control of the state Assembly.
"People all across the Wisconsin Democratic Party are doing the things that make the difference," he said. "Wisconsin has the best ground game. Nothing compares to here."
With about five hours until polls close on her second re-election campaign, Baldwin said she was optimistic at her chances.
"As of the time that early voting started two weeks ago, and certainly my travels today give me great hope and optimism," she told the Wisconsin Examiner. "I feel like we have the momentum. I feel like people are stepping up to volunteer. Some have never volunteered before, and it's not necessarily easy to go knock on a stranger's door. And also the news of new registrations leading up to Election Day is heartwarming. I'm hearing early readouts now from the clerks in various communities about really motivated voters. So anyways, I'm feeling great."
