EAU CLAIRE — Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski said Democrats in Wisconsin and nationwide are excited about the momentum surrounding the Kamala Harris and Tim Walz ticket, but she urged people to not get complacent because some new polls show the vice president has pulled ahead in the state.
“We cannot rest on our laurels and sit back, and enjoy this energy,” Godlewski said during a visit with the Leader-Telegram in Eau Claire on Thursday. “We know here in Wisconsin, we only win by a few votes per ward. It’s really on the margins, especially in western Wisconsin. We really vote on the person.”
Godlewski spoke at the Harris rally earlier this month in Eau Claire and was thrilled with the crowd and the reaction to the candidates.
“There was a lot of excitement there,” she said. “We know those Midwest values (of Minnesota Governor Walz) matter, to have that person in the White House.”
In recent weeks, Democrats have decried efforts to remove voters’ names from rolls in Georgia and Texas. Godlewski said Wisconsin residents can have confidence that legal voters will be able to cast their ballots and have them accurately counted.
“Wisconsin is no stranger to close elections,” Godlewski said. “We’ve always had free, fair and secure elections. The difference is we have a candidate (in Donald Trump) who is trying to show seeds of doubt. We need to stop the spread of misinformation.”
She noted that the 2020 Wisconsin election results were ultimately upheld by a conservative-leaning state Supreme Court. The court is now considered to be liberal-leaning.
Godlewski added that election clerks statewide have been working with local law enforcement officials to make sure all measures are taken to protect the outcome. The next step is helping state residents get registered to vote.
“We have to meet folks where they are, whether it’s registering them at the grocery store or in the school cafeteria,” Godlewski said.
She spoke highly of the proposals she’s heard from Harris, particularly making Roe v. Wade into law, restoring the child tax credits, and a plan to help first-time homeowners with their purchase.
“This is clearly an agenda that is fighting for the middle class,” Godlewski said.
She questioned what good occurred for Wisconsin during Trump’s term, noting the Foxconn deal failed to come to fruition.
Godlewski said this is the most “consequential election,” not just because of the stakes in the presidential election, but because the U.S. Senate hangs in the balance, and in state races, there is the possibility of flipping the state Assembly.
Godlewski was born in Eau Claire and graduated from Memorial High School. She previously served as the state treasurer. Godlewski ran for U.S. Senate in 2022 as a Democrat but dropped out shortly before the primary, which was won by Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes. However, incumbent Ron Johnson narrowly defeated Barnes to retain his seat that November.
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