The 2024 presidential election is coming up on November 5th.
WXPR’s Hannah Davis-Reid talked to people in Minocqua and Merrill about their top concerns going into the election.
With under 100 days until the next presidential election, many voters know what they care about and who they plan on voting for.
Alex Tahk is the associate professor of political science at UW-Madison and director of the Tommy G. Thompson Center on Public Leadership.
He says that the economy is a top concern for voters, as well as immigration, abortion, Medicare, and Social Security.
This 41 year old mom and her 18 year old daughter from Merrill believe that America’s mental health crisis can be traced back to economic issues.
“With all the issues that we got going on, with the prices of everything going up and just- a lot of young people stress about how they're not going to be able to make it. I stress about it, a bunch of my other friends who are also my age still stress about this and worry about it, about the economy and the prices of stuff, basic necessities going up,” she said.
This 41-year old mom from Merrill doesn’t consider herself a “single-issue” voter.
Her top concern is the economy, but she said she’s also worried about access to abortions, even though she herself wouldn’t consider one.
“I feel that the government doesn't have a right to decide what a woman does with her body. You know, and I think that should be left between the woman and her doctor. I also agree that it is a woman's right,” she said.
This 73-year old from Merrill said she was very concerned about Project 2025, a conservative plan that would transform the government, and the potential of another Trump presidency.
“They're regulating a woman's control over her body. They're regulating what may and may not be taught in our public schools, and if this is being taught, for instance, critical race theory, then federal funding will be gone,” she said.
17 year old Carson from Merrill can’t vote yet, but he says that if he would, he would vote for Trump.
“Just look at our economy. I'm 17, I hate paying gas prices. I hate going to the grocery store with my parents and looking at what they pay for groceries and stuff. They're like, ‘dang, you can see the difference,’” he said.
Even though this election cycle has been in some ways unprecedented with an assassination attempt and a candidate dropping out late into the race, Tahk says that some issue priorities going into this election aren’t new.
“The economy is the one thing that tends to really predict and plan outcomes of presidential elections. So in that sense of being a top concern is nothing new,” said Tahk.
Jane Nicholson talked to me at a climate emergency rally in Minocqua, where she said she’s very concerned about Project 2025.
“I would say at the top of my list is our women's health care, climate change, voting rights and reform to the justice system across the board from the Supreme Court, to reducing gun violence, actually preventing it, let's get serious. It's a public health issue and beyond,” she said.
Tahk says that early polling suggests abortion is less of a concern among Republicans and Independents this election cycle, but that it remains a priority for Democrats.
