TUE PM Update: (Accordion Test) Trump promises crackdown on illegal immigration, tax cuts during Dane County speech

As he did during a stop in Prairie du Chien on Saturday, Trump distorted data Immigration and Customs Enforcement released to Congress last week on the number of migrants with criminal convictions living outside the agency’s detention. Trump charged more than 425,000 criminals, including more than 13,000 with homicide convictions, are now free to roam the country due to Harris and President Joe Biden.

ICE says that data stretches back four decades, and the vast majority on the list were from before Biden took office.

Trump cited the numbers during his speech at a factory in Waunakee as he expressed outrage at examples of those in the U.S. illegally who have committed violent crimes. That includes the rape and murder of Maryland mother Rachel Morin and Georgia college student Laken Riley. In both cases, authorities have arrested men from El Salvador and Venezuela, respectively, they say were in the country illegally.

Trump said he believes “Kamala murdered them just like she had a gun in her hand.”

“We’re crime fighters,” Trump said. “We’ll restore light and hope, and I’ll make America safe again. On day one of my administration, the invasion ends and the deportation begins.”

Ahead of Trump’s remarks, Harris’ campaign released a statement from Dem Gov. Tony Evers, who called the former president “a disaster for Wisconsin” while in the White House. Evers said “Trump’s extreme Project 2025” would hurt working families, cut Social Security and Medicare, and gut education.

“I know Wisconsin families, and they’re going to reject him again in November,” Evers said. “Vice President Harris is the only candidate in this race fighting to lower costs, cut taxes, and invest in Wisconsin’s future.”

Trump, who was scheduled to speak in Milwaukee later this afternoon, jumped from one topic to the next during his nearly 75-minute speech, often going off on tangents. At one point, Trump recounted for the crowd an oft-told story about a 2018 meeting with Air Force Lt. Gen. John D. Caine about eradicating ISIS in Iraq.

Saying Caine was “better looking than any guy you could put in a movie,” Trump then went on a riff about Stanley Kubrick’s 1987 movie “Full Metal Jacket.” He recounted how former Marine R. Lee Emery, who Trump didn’t identify by name, was eventually cast as the drill sergeant after originally being brought in as a technical adviser to train those who were up for the role. After marveling at the casting process, Trump went right back to recounting his conversation with Caine.

Among other things, Trump repeated his vow to eliminate taxes on tips, overtime and Social Security and to reduce the corporate tax rate to 15% from the current 21% that he signed into law while in office.

He also vowed to impose tariffs, including on cars he said China plans to build at plants in Mexico to then come into the U.S. without facing taxes. Economists have said Trump’s plans to impose tariffs would be passed onto American consumers. But he likened his plan to Milwaukee-based Harley-Davidson building a plant in India to produce motorcycles because it was cheaper than paying the tariff to ship them from U.S. factories.

“If they play that game, we have to play the game, too,” Trump said.

Watch the video.

Five parties met in the state Capitol today to select their slates of electors who would meet Dec. 17 to cast the state’s 10 electoral votes should their nominee win the state. Typically, a low-profile affair, this year’s legally required meetings had new interest after a slate of GOP electors in 2020 signed paperwork seeking to cast the state’s vote for Donald Trump even though Joe Biden had been declared the winner.

State GOP spokesperson Matt Fischer said there would be no repeat if the Elections Commission certifies Harris as the winner.

“If Donald Trump and JD Vance win the most votes, this list of electors will have relevance and they will have purpose,” Fischer said. “If Kamala Harris and Tim Walz win the most votes or by some miracle a third party candidate, then this list of electors will be of zero relevance and have no purpose with the election.”

Four years ago, Republicans argued the false slate of electors was part of an effort to keep Trump’s legal options open as he sought to overturn the state’s results.

It also resulted in a civil suit against the GOP electors that they settled earlier this year by pledging not to serve in a similar role in 2024 or for any election in which Trump appeared on the ballot. Their legal team is currently facing criminal charges brought by Dem AG Josh Kaul.

The Republican, Dem, Constitution, Green and Libertarian parties met today to formally select their electors.

The GOP list includes former Gov. Tommy Thompson, state Chair Brian Schimming, Fond du Lac County DA Eric Toney and state Rep. Angie Sapik, of Lake Nebagamon.

Meanwhile, Dems unanimously approved their electors and alternates.

State Dem Chair Ben Wikler, speaking to a packed room of excited legislators, said the Democratic Party believes in the “rule of law” and the “peaceful transfer of power.”

“We’ve learned a lot about the electoral college and the significance of having electors that are legitimate and duly elected and appointed, and appropriately selected in this process,” Wikler said.

The Dem list includes Wikler, Gov. Tony Evers, Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway, Lt. Governor Sara Rodriguez and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley.

The latest fundraising reports, covering July 30-Sept. 23, underscore the financial edge Dems have enjoyed in most legislative races, thanks in part to backing from the state party.

The state Dem Party has given the State Senate Democratic Campaign Committee just over $2 million in cash contributions between mid-May and mid-September. The state GOP, meanwhile, hasn’t made any contributions to the Committee to Elect a Republican Senate in 2024, according to the state’s database.

Here’s an overview of fundraising in the three races:

8th, suburban Milwaukee: Habush Sinykin, an attorney, reported $866,125 raised during the two-month period, $1 million spent and $133,845 in the bank. Her fundraising haul included $400,000 in transfers from the SSDC along with $68,613 in in-kind donations for campaign staff. The state Dem Party, meanwhile, gave her $229,266 in in-kind contributions largely for mail.

In-kind donations show up as both a contribution and an expense on candidates’ reports. Often, they will pay the state party, for example, to do their mail programs to take advantage of bulk rates parties can receive.

Meanwhile, Stroebel, R-Saukville, reported $164,480 in contributions, including $60,393 from individuals. He spent $207,436 and had $365,690 in the bank.

He reported $73,380 in-kind contributions from CERS and the state GOP for staff costs, videos and digital ads.

14th, Richland, Sauk, Columbia counties: Keyeski, a nonprofit leader, raised $523,109, including $108,430 from individuals. She spent $659,590 during the period and had $66,001 left in the bank.

She reported $200,000 in transfers from the SSDC and another $16,502 in in-kind contributions. Keyeski also listed $182,576 in in-kind contributions from the state party.

Ballweg reported $238,189 raised, including $42,974 from individuals. She spent $281,142 and had $168,843 left in the bank.

She reported a $100,000 transfer from CERS and $42,452 in in-kind donations for videos and staff, along with $5,596 in such contributions from the state GOP for mail.

30th, Green Bay, Allouez, DePere: Wall, a businessman, reported $653,853 raised, including $97,697 from individuals. He spent $734,640 and had $194,393 left in the bank.

Wall reported $400,000 in transfers from the SSDC and $137,156 in in-kind donations from the caucus and state Dem Party for mail and campaign staff.

Rafter, the Allouez village president, reported $440,072 raised, including $6,650 from individuals. He spent $282,662 and had $166,322 left in the bank.

He reported $350,000 in transfers from CERS and $80,922 in in-kind contributions from the caucus and the state GOP for online ads and mail.

The SSDC moved those resources to ad buys in the 8th, 14th and 30th, and the caucus told WisPolitics the move was made after polling showed Pfaff and Alfheim in strong positions.

The new reports show Pfaff raised $138,003 during the latest reporting period, spent $162,268 and had $190,760 in the bank. He reported $81,545 in in-kind donations from the SSDC and state party for staff and mail.

GOP Trempeleau County Supv. Stacey Klein, who’s challenging Pfaff, raised $120,504, spent $9,569 and had $123,330 in the bank. CERS transferred $100,000 to her campaign in mid-September.

In the 18th, Alfheim raised $198,130, sent $238,423 and had $187,491 in the bank. She listed $131,035 in in-kind contributions from the state party and SSDC for mail and wages.

Meanwhile, GOP cancer Dr. Tony Phillips reported $153,716 raised, $91,361 spent and $113,632 in the bank. He listed a $100,000 transfer from CERS and $17,277 from CERS and the state GOP for mail and digital ads.

Meanwhile, GOP businessman Eric Hovde now has an edge in TV reservations through Election Day.

The narrator in the spot says after 25 years in DC, Baldwin’s “values are more Washington than Wisconsin.” The narrator says she supported providing puberty blockers and sex change surgeries to minor children and forcing women’s domestic violence shelters to admit biological men.

The narrator concludes the spot, “After decades in Washington, she’s too extreme for Wisconsin.”

The SLF said it plans to spend $17 million on ads in the Wisconsin race, and AdImpact had picked up $13.8 million in broadcast, cable and radio reservations as of early this afternoon.

The SLF buy has now pushed ad spending through the election to Hovde’s favor. Baldwin and those backing her laid down their fall reservations much earlier, and as of two weeks ago, she had a 5-to-1 advantage between mid-September and Election Day.

But now, Hovde and the groups backing him have $22.1 million in ads reserved today through Nov. 5, compared to $20.1 million by Baldwin and those supporting her.

In terms of broadcast gross ratings points, a measure of how frequently ads are seen, the GOP side has an advantage of 67,551 to 61,120.