ROUND UP: WisDems Officers Highlight Energy in Wisconsin for Harris-Walz Ticket at the DNC
MADISON, Wis. — This week at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler and WisDems officers Tricia Zunker, Felesia Martin, and Kim Butlertook to the airwaves to talk about the energy driving Wisconsin Democrats to elect Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz this November.
Chair Wikler highlighted the sense of joy spreading amongst Wisconsinites for inspiring candidates who will drive voters to the polls in a state where every single vote counts and the WisDems officers spoke to the opportunity to realize historic change in this election after lifetimes of dedicated work.
MSNBC, Chair Wikler: “’All of us have inside of us this desire to be someone–the best version of ourselves. Someone we can be proud of. And what we heard tonight is person after person testifying that Tim Walz had that effect on them. Tim Walz is the guy who took on extra work to help pay off a kid’s school lunch debt and then found a job coaching seventh grade track and then took the track team to a state championship. I mean, you could make movies about this and probably someone will make movies about this–but right now we have a chance to elect that guy that makes everyone think ‘man, if only people like him were in politics.’ That’s what Oprah said–’if only people like this ran for office.’ Well, he is running for office and we can vote for him. What an amazing moment. And across Wisconsin, people are feeling that way tonight.’” 
WSAW, Chair Wikler: “’There’s a sense of joy. You can feel that all the way through not just this arena but really this whole country. You saw that with the 12,000 people in a field in Eau Claire county a couple weeks ago now. I think that comes from this real sense that we’re going to move forward now as a country.’”
WBHM, Second Vice Chair Tricia Zunker: “Tricia Zunker, member of the Ho-Chunk Nation in Wisconsin: Zunker said it was symbolic and powerful to be attending the convention as an indigenous woman ‘knowing that there’s not that many of us, but knowing that our voices matter and will be heard.’ She encouraged the presidential candidates to not forget about Wisconsin’s Native voters. There, 2.5% of the population identifies as American Indian or Alaska Native, and they are credited with helping Biden the state in a close race. ‘I don’t think a candidate is going to win Wisconsin without that powerful Native vote. So outreach to the Native communities is going to be important,’ Zunker said. ‘Just getting the information out there and even educating on when the election is and how to vote and accessibility as it relates to voting.’”
TMJ4, WisDems Vice Chair Felesia Martin: “Felesia Martin gets emotional thinking about the racism and civil rights struggles her family faced and the generations that came before. They will all be in her thoughts Thursday as she watches history unfold with Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket.’I’ll take them into that hallway and when I glance at Kamala Harris, then I know they will be proud at that moment,’ said Martin.”
UpNorthNews, WisDems Secretary Kim Butler: “Kim Butler of Polk County, the state Democratic Party secretary, admired former First Lady Michelle Obama’s pivot to a more direct approach—including her criticism of former President Donald Trump and her admonition to women about not waiting for permission to get more involved to elect Vice President Kamala Harris. ‘One of the things that struck me about what Michelle said was that we can’t wait to get invited,’ Butler said. ‘We have to take self-initiative to get this done—and to get our friends and our family organized. There’s no time for sitting back and saying ‘well, they didn’t ask me.’”
PBS, Second Vice Chair Zunker: “In Wisconsin, we have concerns about ensuring that we have clean air, clean water, so that future generations can live on our beautiful, protected lands. We have — the dealing with historical trauma, and this is another thing that we see with Secretary Deb Haaland, and the work that she’s done as it relates to the boarding school era. […] So it’s really important to reach out and connect to the tribal nations. I think Governor Evers has done an incredible job of working with tribal communities, tribal nations and respecting tribal sovereignty, and recognizing that we have a unique political existence as sovereign nations, as dual citizens. You know, for example, I’m a dual citizen of the Ho-Chunk Nation and the United States, yeah. So, it’s just working together and trying to find that line of ensuring that treaties are upheld and that our people can thrive within the boundaries of the state.”
The Washington Post, Vice Chair Martin: “Felesia Martin and her husband, Terrell, are delegates from Milwaukee. They became big fans of Biden and got to know him while volunteering for Barack Obama’s presidential campaigns. Felesia Martin talks about how she feels about the change at the top of the Democratic ticket, and this convention being different from what she and others expected. This is her fourth presidential convention.”
WMTV, Chair Wikler: “’Frankly, being in the room with thousands upon thousands of cheering, excited delegates is an unparalleled experience especially in this moment of joy. People are so excited about Harris and Walz […] That’s what Wisconsinites want–someone in their corner who is tough, fair, effective and has compassion. The kind of joy that she radiates is infectious and underneath that is a toughness and a real sense of steel that she will not back down when it comes to making sure everyone is safe, has freedom and has opportunity.”’
WSAW, WisDems Chair Wikler: “‘So much about a presidential election is about who somebody is fighting for because you never know what will come along. Trump didn’t run on his anti-COVID policies when he ran in 2016, but that turned out to be the most important policy that he had and he completely botched it. What we want is someone who has judgment, intellect, and the character to rise to the moments the world presents.’”