Highlights from Donald Trump's rally in Waukesha

 

WAUKESHA Wis. (CBS 58) -- Former President Donald Trump used his day off from his criminal trial in New York to rally supporters in Waukesha as polls have him locked in a tight race with his rival in the battleground state.

Hundreds of supporters lined up outside to get a glimpse of the former president who has largely been unable to campaign with his hush money trial underway in Manhattan.

It marked his second visit to Wisconsin this year after holding a rally in Green Bay on April 2.

Here are some of the takeaways:

Economy, Immigration

During his speech, Trump took shots at President Biden on the economy and immigration. It comes as he's winning on both issues over his opponent, according to the latest Marquette University Law School Poll.

"We had a great economy, no inflation," Trump said at the Waukesha County Expo Center. "Today, your inflation is so high it doesn't matter if you make money. It eats you alive."

Trump also took aim at Biden for campaigning on his proposal to raise taxes on the wealthy and large corporations in an attempt to make the tax system fairer.

Campus Protests

With pro-Palestinian protests erupting on college campuses across the U.S., including Wisconsin, Trump knocked protesters by calling them "lunatics" for "terrorizing" institutions.

"To every college president, I say, remove these encampments immediately and vanquish the radicals," Trump said. "Take back our campuses for all the normal students who want a safe place from which to learn."

Abortion

Abortion was also briefly mentioned in his speech, an issue Democrats have been banking on to help boost voter turnout this fall.

Trump downplayed the idea of nationwide abortion ban, something he's previously backed during his 2016 campaign, and instead shifted the conversation to allowing states to decide their own abortion restrictions.

It comes as the former president has been walking a tight rope on the issue as it's become a powerful talking point for Democratic campaigns.

"Now our states are deciding, and some people are unhappy because it's too liberal of policy or too conservative, but we brought it back to the states where it has to be," Trump said.

"You also have to remember, as a politician, you also have to get elected because if you don't get elected it goes back into the federal government perhaps and you have one policy that is not going to work."

Why Waukesha?

Holding a rally in Waukesha comes as the Trump campaign is trying to shore up support in the suburbs of Milwaukee, an area he underperformed during the April primary and one that's overall lost some GOP support in recent statewide elections.

Democrats held an event in Waukesha ahead of Trump's speech and criticized him for trying to win-over suburban women.

"I live in Waukesha, and I think he's worried that he is losing voters here and he is because of his extreme views on abortion his extreme views on many other things," said Democratic Lt. Governor Sara Rodriguez.

Absentee Voting

One topic the former president didn't talk about was absentee voting. It’s something being widely encouraged by state and national Republicans who want their base to vote ahead of Election Day.

Instead, Trump put his support behind "one day voting with paper ballots."

Before the speech, Republican Party of Wisconsin chairman Brian Schimming told reporters he's still promoting early vote and continues to talk to the president’s campaign about it.