Consider This from NPR - In states where votes are close, organizers are aiming to 'lose by less.' Why?

Episode Date: October 4, 2024

In a state where every vote matters, campaigns are not only trying to win in counties where they're strongest. They're also trying to lose by less in places where votes for their candidate are harder to find. We take a look at volunteers in Wisconsin who are working to make less more.For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at [e-mail] more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Elkhorn, Wisconsin, a small town less than an hour outside of Milwaukee that feels like a world away from the big city. The main street here, Walworth Street, looks like it's been unchanged for decades. There's a barber shop, Jackrabbit Fizz Saloon, and a restaurant that advertises homemade pizza. This is a Republican stronghold, but Democrats are trying to make some inroads here. The best buttons in the world.

You have to see our good selection of buttons. At the Walworth County Democrats office, the buttons that say childless cat lady are especially popular. But Beth Garris-Padreau finds a couple other pins she likes. I am getting no hate in my state. I am woman, watch me vote. Yeah, I do. Ellen. Our goal in this office is to move the needle. Ellen Hawley is the former chair of the Walworth County Dems.

Like we know, well, maybe we will this year. Maybe we'll wake up and suddenly Walworth County will be a blue county. I'm not going to bet my child's life on it, but we're heading in that direction. She's used to being in the blue minority here, but today she's surrounded by volunteers who agree with her, stuffing pamphlets into plastic baggies that canvassers will take door-knocking around the neighborhood. We're reporting from Wisconsin as part of an NPR series called We the Voters.

Here in Walworth County, you could call the Democrats' strategy Lose Buy Less. It's a playbook Republicans are running, too, in liberal cities. We'll meet them in a bit. Consider this. In a state where every vote matters, campaigns are not only trying to win in counties where they're strongest, they're also trying to lose by less in places where votes for their candidate are harder to find. From NPR, I'm Ari Shapiro. You care about what's happening in the world. Let State of the World from NPR keep you informed. Each day we transport you to a different point on the globe and introduce you to the people living world events. We don't just tell you world news,

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Here in Walworth County, Ellen Hawley says the Wisconsin Democrats have a specific goal. I think the state figured out if we can pull 42 percent, then the state is good. Can you imagine on election night when these county results come in, cheering that you got 43 or 45 percent, even if that means you lost the county? Oh, because everything we do here helps. So Biden won, I think, by 21,000 votes in the state around. That's what we contributed. Now, I can't say that it was just because of us, but if we did nothing, he would not have won. In many ways, lose by less has become the key term in this campaign. Anthony Tregosky teaches political science at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Because Wisconsin elections are so competitive and so closely decided, the parties understand

that any little gain anywhere could make the difference. And this is true across all the swing states. So what does a strategy look like in practice? For one, door knocking. Barb Bigler and Margie Black are Democratic Party volunteers who live in Walworth County. They're walking through a neighborhood where Trump signs fill the lawns. But when I ask if they think of it as enemy territory, Barb says no. I kind of don't like to think about the war and the battle in that rough language. It kind of scares me.

So I don't really want to be frightened by our own country. Okay, Margie, let's do our thing. Many voters aren't home. When they do find one who's willing to talk, they don't go in with a hard sales pitch. Instead, they lead with, what's important to you? Do you have any key issues you would want us to bring forward to the candidates? They're very interested to know what people think are some of their primary concerns, if you have a primary topic of interest.

Definitely the abortion issue. I'm very for the ability to make decisions regarding that. This voter, Kaylee, declined to give her full name. Anything else that's kind of like over my head a little bit. You're not alone in that, so please don't feel bad. This voter Kaylee declined to give her full name. These canvassers told us they sometimes meet quiet Harris voters, people who promise to support the Democrat but don't want to put a sign on their lawn. And that's the mirror image of how Denise Salamone feels. She's a Trump voter in a wealthy Democratic area on the edge of Milwaukee. Well, I'll use the example of when Hillary and Bernie were running against each other in the primary.

They were all Bernie signs in my neighborhood. Okay. Yeah. So you must feel like an outsider. I don't put up a sign. Right. That's why I come over here. Here is the GOP office in a heavily Democratic part of the city where Republicans are hosting a canned food drive and emphasizing the high

price of groceries. They call the event Can Kamala. Hilario De Leon is the chairman of the Republican Party of Milwaukee County, and he goes through a bag someone just dropped off. See, we got tuna, fish, and then it looks like we have, is this tomato soup or mini ravioli? The Kans will go to a food bank where Rob Mulcahy volunteers. He's also on the executive committee for the Republican Party in Milwaukee County. And, like the Democrats canvassing in Walworth County, he refuses to think of this blue zone as hostile. It is not enemy territory for me. I've lived there my entire life. I do have the courage to put yard signs up in the last election. I put up every Republican candidate and I intend

to do so again this year. How do you begin that conversation with a neighbor who you think might not be planning to vote or might be undecided? I've coached a lot of sports in the North Shore. So if it's a parent whose kid I've coached, it's a great icebreaker to talk about the sport. I don't know how anybody could possibly want boys playing women's sports. It's just, to me, it's a no-brainer. He's referring to a law Wisconsin's Democratic governor vetoed this year that would have banned transgender high school athletes from competing on teams that align with their gender identity.

But DeLeon says other GOP volunteers lead with different topics when they knock on doors. We talk about economics. We talk about crime. We talk about, you know, actual issues that people care about. You know, are you better off now than you are four years ago? And remember how the Walworth County Democrats have a goal of hitting 42% of votes for Harris in their county? Well, the Republicans have their own number here in the big city. If we increase the percentage, if we get more than 35 percent, even 38 percent, that is a win because the rest of the state will help carry us over the finish line. The Democrats have been bragging about their rural ground game. They send out updates with

the number of offices they've opened, doors they've knocked, volunteers they've recruited, and say the Trump campaign has not caught up. According to the latest campaign finance reports the parties file with the state, Wisconsin Democrats have outraised Republicans four to one this year, nearly $20 million for the Dems, close to $5 million for the GOP. When I asked DeLeon about that, he said, even if Democrats have more money to spend, they can't win the argument on the issues. You know, they can have all of that at the end of the day, but one thing that they can't talk about is policies. I am very aware

that when Trump carried Wisconsin in 2016, it was with minimal infrastructure. I just want to know if we have the Democrats saying, we're blanketing the state and the Republicans don't have nearly as many doors knocked and nearly as many... The Republican Party isn't the only group out here door knocking for President Trump. There's tons of organizations that are coming in, third party organizations that are coming into the state and investing millions of dollars in advertising and door knocking. So you think it's an apples to oranges comparison? Yeah, I really do.

I think it's going to be this house, Barb. Back in Walworth County, Democrats Barb Bigler and Margie Black have just knocked on a door and met an 18-year-old. He registered to vote at his high school, but isn't exactly sure where or how to do it. They talk him through how it works and then rejoin us on the sidewalk. There's a lot to be said for just being kind with this young man. He was nervous about this whole operation. And I told him, I still remember the first time I voted and it was a big deal. And that was a really long time ago. But he's excited about it and he knows it's a big deal. And it's exciting to be a part of that. And I think that when we show up, I'd like to believe that it shows value

and importance to voting. Otherwise, these strangers wouldn't show up at your door handing you materials. And then it's back to hitting the pavement. They're trying to knock on 34 doors before the day is over. This episode was produced by Mia Venkat. It was edited by Ashley Brown and Padma Rama.

Our executive producer is Sammy Yenigan. Before we go, a quick thank you to our Consider This Plus listeners who support the show. Your contribution makes it possible for NPR journalists all around the world to do their jobs. Supporters also get to hear every episode in even less time with no sponsor messages. Learn more at plus.npr.org. It's Consider This from NPR. I'm Ari Shapiro. NPR brings you the updates you need on the day's biggest headlines.

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