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Decision 2022: What's driving Wisconsin voters' interest?

Signs are already pointing to a higher-than-normal midterm election in Wisconsin.
Posted at 7:48 PM, Sep 20, 2022
and last updated 2022-09-20 20:48:16-04

MILWAUKEE — Get out the vote: Those are the four words you hear in every campaign season.

Signs are already pointing to a higher-than-normal midterm election. What's driving voters' interest?

Right now, 3.5 million people in Wisconsin are registered to vote in November. That's higher than the 2018 mid-term election but not quite as high as the presidential numbers in 2016 and 2020.

TMJ4'S Chief Political Reporter Charles Benson talked with Democratic strategist and former Communications Director for Governor Tony Evers, Melissa Baldauff, and longtime Waukesha County Republican activist Robin Moore about the numbers and a big visit by Vice President Kamala Harris.

The Vice President will be in Milwaukee Thursday during Hispanic Heritage month and meet with Latino leaders. President Biden was in Milwaukee for Labor Day.

Census numbers show the Hispanic-Latino community increasing in Milwaukee by about 8% in 2020 as the city's overall population fell.

Two news polls show the U.S. Senate race very close between Ron Johnson and Mandela Barnes. An Emerson College poll has Johnson in the lead with 48 percent of the vote, while Barnes is 4 points behind. 6% are undecided.

In the Siena College poll, Barnes is 48% and Johnson is 47%.

TMJ4 is helping voters stay informed about the candidates.

As of now, TMJ4 is the only TV station hosting a live U.S. Senate debate that Mandela Barnes and Ron Johnson have agreed to do.

It's set for Thursday, October 13th. Shannon Sims and Charles Benson will moderate.

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