VP Harris’ Milwaukee visit draws mixed reaction
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) – Vice President Kamala Harris’ visit to Milwaukee drew praise and criticism.
For supporters of the vice president, the visit was impactful.
“I’m excited,” Afrisha Ward of Milwaukee said. “I’m so happy that she’s here visiting our city. It’s exciting.”
Others appreciated the visit’s focus on economic growth and infrastructure.
“It is so exciting to have our vice president in Milwaukee, Wisconsin knowing that she of course is basically meeting in order for her to help to bring about more jobs, and cultivate more jobs and take an innovative approach,” Brenda Stiff, an entrepreneur from Milwaukee told CBS 58.
There were also small demonstrations criticizing the visit.
Members of UWM’s Students for a Democratic Society are advocating for police reform on their campus and do not believe Harris visiting the campus aligns with their efforts for their university community.
“I don’t think that her history and the way that she’s protected cops in the past bodes well for police crimes and ending them,” Rory Donovan said in an interview.
Other demonstrators included members of Americans for Prosperity who wanted to address the spending in President Joe Biden’s infrastructure plan.
“We want to do everything we can to let him know you can’t spend tax dollars irresponsibly,” said Jamiroquan Kittler with Americans for Prosperity.
That criticism was echoed by leaders of the Republican Party of Wisconsin who held a news conference at their Milwaukee headquarters. Wisconsin GOP leaders said the scope of the plan spends too much money on projects they do not believe qualify as infrastructure.
“We need an infrastructure plan that actually helps us and rebuilds our infrastructure in this country,” state GOP Chairman Andrew Hitt told reporters.
Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke (R – Kaukauna) and Assembly President Pro Tempore Tyler August (R – Lake Geneva) held a news conference in Madison discussing a recent visit to the U.S.—Mexico border. The two Republican leaders sent a letter to Vice President Harris urging her to visit the border to address the ongoing crisis.
“We’re always glad to have high-ranking federal officials visit us here in the state but her time would be much better spent on the southern border,” Rep. August said.
While Vice President Harris has not visited the border, she said in April she intends to visit Mexico and Guatemala to address the issue of immigration.