DODGE COUNTY, WI (TMJ4) — President Trump is hitting the campaign trail ahead of the midterm elections as new polling shows his approval rating in Wisconsin has fallen.
TMJ4'S Chief Political Reporter Charles Benson traveled to Dodge County — where Trump carried 66% of the vote in 2024 — to talk with two of his supporters about where they stand today.
It's harvest season in the heartland, and the big John Deere tractors are rolling through farm fields with gas and diesel prices up from a year ago.
Paul Duffy made those tractors for nearly 40 years. He voted for Donald Trump and has no regrets.
Watch the Full Story Below
"He's done some good things. He's done some things I probably don't agree with," Duffy said.
When asked what Trump has done well, Duffy pointed to the border.
"Well, the border, that's kind of a no-brainer. I mean, you don't even hear about it anymore," Duffy said.
Retired and fishing when he can, Duffy agrees more needs to be done about cost-of-living concerns.
"Affordability is a problem for a lot of people. I mean there's people on fixed incomes that don't have, you know, a lot of money right now, and I mean prices are high, but is that all on him?" Duffy said.
A new Marquette Law School poll shows Trump's approval rating in Wisconsin declined to 38% in September, while disapproval rose to 60%. Both figures represent records in the Marquette surveys of Wisconsin — his previous lowest approval was 40%, and the previous high for disapproval was 59%.
President Trump's approval among Wisconsin Republicans slipped to 78% in September, down from 83% in August. Independents are not happy with the president either, with 81% disapproving. Democrats are nearly unanimous in their disapproval, with 99% opposing the president.
Two years ago, a large crowd turned out in Juneau for Trump's October 6th rally inside a hangar, where he made several big promises on the economy and affordability.
"Together, we will deliver low taxes, low regulations, low energy costs, low interest rates, and low inflation so that everyone can afford groceries, a nice car, and a home," Trump said.
Trump lowered taxes for many, including those who earn overtime or tips. But inflation has ticked up again to 3.4% - compared to 3% when he took office in January of 2025. Mortgage rates remain high for home buyers.
Don Davidson was at that Dodge County rally with his band, Dexter Road. When asked what his takeaway was from that day, his answer was simple.
"Just excitement," Davidson said.
TMJ4 talked with him then and again two years later. Davidson — a veteran, now retired from law enforcement — sees a Trump economy that's working.
"I think he's delivering. He's bringing manufacturing jobs back, back to the United States," Davidson said.
Trump also promised that day to settle the war in Ukraine — which has yet to be settled — and to end what he called the chaos in the Middle East, where he has started a war with Iran over ending their nuclear capabilities.
When Davidson was asked if he holds Trump accountable for that, his answer was still one of support.
"I do, and I trust him. I trust him and his, and his, uh, you know, Pete Hegseth and, and everybody involved in that whole military operation," Davidson said.
___
This story was reported on-air by Charles Benson and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
