In the wake of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton wrapping up their respective parties’ nominations this month, Democratic and Republican volunteers both held canvassing efforts in Racine County Saturday.
House Speaker Paul Ryan appeared alongside U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson at the GOP field office on Washington Avenue.
“We’re here to fire up the troops,” Ryan said. “We realize you win elections one vote at a time.”
Ryan said he and Johnson are promoting a Republican agenda that “actually fixes the country’s problems.”
Ryan said Americans are ready for new leadership.
"Democrats are offering the status quo," he said. "They're saying, let's keep doing what we're doing, let's have a third Obama term."
"That's not the direction Americans or Wisconsinites want to go in," the Speaker said.
Johnson said his message to voters this fall centers around growing the economy, reforming regulations and the tax system, and reforming poverty programs to put people back to work.
"It's about growing the economy instead of just growing government," Johnson said. "Democrats and Russ Feingold know how to grow the government."
He declined to weigh in on Trump's chances to win Wisconsin.
"Nobody can predict exactly what the top of the ticket's going to do," Johnson said. "But we're all on the same page about growing our economy and reducing our regulatory burden."
"The Ronald and Donald show would be a nightmare for Wisconsin's middle class," Feingold Spokesperson Michael Tyler said in a statement.
Feingold's campaign said his policy proposals for increasing the minimum wage, guaranteeing paid family leave and protecting social security and medicare will resonate with Wisconsin voters.
At the Democratic headquarters in Racine, volunteers said they are strongly backing both Feingold and Clinton.
"I think the Democrats have show they're for low-income people," said Janet Mitchell, who spent the morning knocking on doors for Clinton.
Mitchell attended a canvassing kickoff for Clinton at the Racine field office featuring U.S. Congressman Emanuel Cleaver.
"I'm excited by the prospect of not only electing Hillary Clinton, but seeing her work with the Senate," Cleaver said by phone following the event. "I think she, frankly, will be able to work with Republicans even better than President Barack Obama -- who I also supported."
Paul Nolette, a professor of political science at Marquette University, said he expects both Clinton and Trump to see a boost in their poll numbers following this month's conventions.
"I think the next couple weeks will be very unsettled as far as polling goes," Nolette said.
He said such bounces will likely dissipate after a couple of weeks.
"Two weeks from now, things will start settling down and be much more accurate in terms of a projection for November," Nolette said.
Nolette said he thinks most voters have already made up their minds, but both campaigns will be working to sway the few that remain.
Nolette also said both Trump and Clinton will have to convince dedicated voters from their respective parties, who may not be wild about either candidate, to not back a third party candidate at the top of the ticket.
"I think that's a big goal for both candidates," Nolette said. "It will be during the debates, and during the rest of the campaign as well."
