Why is Wisconsin essential in the 2024 presidential race?

With a history of very close election races, the 10 electoral votes of the state of Wisconsin could determine who the next president will be.

The two main parties are investing heavily in Wisconsin, aware of its importance to determine the winner of the election. While candidates are making frequent stops in this country, from its largest city of Milwaaki to smaller cities, voters in Wisconsin find themselves at the center of the democratic process of America.

Wisconsin is currently one of seven undecided states that can determine the 2024 presidential election winner.

This country, located in the central part of the United States, is known for its dairy products and beer consumption culture, as well as extremely close election competitions.

In the last two elections, the difference between winners and losers has been less than 1 per cent. Professor Barry Burden explains the characteristics of this country.

There's something magical in Wisconsin, demographic characteristics of groups that favour the two parties equalize each other. When the Democrats, for example, gain support from a growing group like urban voters in Madison Republicans achieve support at equal levels through voters in rural areas, or those living outside urban centres”.

But in spite of these historicly close elections, democratic candidates have won in Wisconsin until 2016.

“Viti 2016 was a real shock to the Republicans and Democrats. It was a surprise that a Republican candidate won in a state after so many election cycles since the mid-1980s. The last time a republic had won in this country was 1984. This development alarmed both parties that something was happening in this country. For Trump, it was voters in rural areas and voters living outside major cities who supported and I think lack of attention from Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton. It is a fact known that she did not visit this state”, Says Professor Burden.

President Joe Biden restored support for the Democrats in Wisconsin in the 2020 elections.

But Democrat candidate Kamala Harris is not leaving it to chance. She started her campaign from Milwaki.

Republicans also organized their assembly in Wisconsin.

As in other states, the main issue for voters in Wisconsin is the economy. But there is another issue that can be essential.

“Abort has become a major issue, perhaps more than in other parts of the country. When the Supreme Court made the ruling that abolished the decision to protect against abortion Constitution (Roe v. Wade, was more important in Wisconsin than in other countries because abortion had been legal and was being offered throughout the country until then. But during the week when the decision was issued, clinics offering abortions cut it off, and the abortion issue is driving some women away, especially educated women, from supporting the Republican Party”Says Mr. Burden.

Professor Burden says an important group to observe is that of Africans.

Subsequents make up only about 6 percent of the population in this country. They vote lower than white voters, but they are major supporters of the Democrats, even less in recent years. As was the national trend, African-American voters have begun to migrate somewhat toward the republics, especially young African-American voters”.

Experts Burden says the outcome of elections in the state of Wisconsin may also have a third candidate.

Whatever percentages, however small, go to an independent candidate, or a candidate for a small party, may matter. There is a tradition of such candidates doing well in Wisconsin. Jill Stein, the Green Party candidate this year, was also a candidate in 2016 and won about 100,000 votes. Hillary Clinton lost to Donald Trump by a margin of about 20,000 votes. So there is evidence that a candidate can get enough votes to influence the overall score of”.

According to polls, elections in Wisconsin are unpredictable. But one thing can be predicted: high voter turnout. This state usually ranks among five national states as far as voter turnout. / VOA