Vance talks inflation, energy, and economy in campaign stop in De Pere

DE PERE, Wis. (WFRV) – Kitchen-table issues like prices at grocery stores and the gas pump took center stage during republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance’s visit to De Pere on Wednesday evening.

“I grew up in a poor family and I grew up in the kind of family that suffers when Kamala Harris and people like her don’t do their jobs,” Vance said to a crowd of a few hundred supporters at AmeriLux International on Wednesday night. “When she says she’s the candidate of the little guy, the little guy can’t afford to heat their homes because of Kamala Harris, the little guy can’t afford to put groceries on their table because of her policies.”

Vance laying out the case that Northeast Wisconsinites should trust his party to get the economy back to where it needs to be.

According to the Associated Press , year-over-year inflation has reached its lowest level in more than three years, but food prices are still 21 percent higher than they were three years ago.

In his speech, Vance said making this country energy independent is one of the keys to bringing prices down across the board.

“Why don’t you (Joe Biden and Kamala Harris) stop destroying American energy and buying energy from dictators all over the world,” said Vance. “Let’s buy American energy from American workers.”

He also tied illegal immigration to inflation saying that’s what happens when the government assists people who shouldn’t be in this country.

Former president Donald Trump has floated further lowering the corporate tax rate, imposing large tariffs that he says would protect US manufacturing jobs, and continuing on with the tax bill he signed into law in 2017 that does slash taxes for the middle class, but also gives higher-earners and businesses even larger tax cuts.

Economists at the University of Pennsylvania recently did a study predicting the impact of Trump’s proposed economic plans. They reached the following conclusion:

“We estimate that the Trump Campaign tax and spending proposals would increase primary deficits by $5.8 trillion over the next 10 years on a conventional basis and by $4.1 trillion on a dynamic basis that includes economic feedback effects. Households across all income groups benefit on a conventional basis.”

–Penn Wharton Budget Model Analysis

Those at the event on Wednesday evening said they believe in the Trump/Vance economic plan.

“The working people of this part of the state are getting crushed under Joe Biden and Kamala Harris,” said Wisconsin Republican Party Chairman Brian Schimming.

“The tax cuts are for everyone, President Trump loves America, he loves the people and he works for the people, and listens to the people,” said Milt Swagel from Kewaunee who attended the Vance event on Wednesday evening.

Kamala Harris recently outlined her plan for the economy which focuses on fighting price gouging, lowering prescription drug costs, and providing financial assistance to first-time home buyers.

Trump posted on social media that Harris’ economic plan would impose ‘Soviet-style price controls’ and also called some of her policy proposals dangerous.

In his speech on Wednesday evening in De Pere, Vance openly questioned how voters can trust Harris on the economy.

“(She said) that on day one she’s going to tackle the economic crisis that is affecting American families and on day one she’s going to make groceries more affordable and on day one she’s going to make it possible for young people to afford a home,” Vance said. “Everybody with an ounce of sense is going to say Day 1 was 1300 days ago what were you doing in that time.”

Trump-endorsed candidate for Wisconsin’s 8th Congressional District Tony Wied spoke at the event as well. He echoed many of Vance’s points saying making the country energy-independent and reigning in government spending were keys to get the economy back on track.

“When President Trump was in office our economy was doing fine, and now we see the effects of the inflation and the rising prices with this administration,” Wied said. “I ask people in this district, are you better off now than you were four years ago and the answer is a resounding no.  We’re going to take those policies we learned having our own business, truly doing what’s right and reigning in that reckless government spending.”

Wied used to own several Dino Stop gas stations in Northeast Wisconsin and emerged victorious out of a crowded Republican primary.

Local 5 News also reached out to Kristin Lyerly who is running against Wied in Wisconsin’s 8th Congressional District.

“It’s not surprising that Tony Wied is campaigning with another out-of-touch rich guy,” a campaign spokesperson said in a statement. “Tony inherited his business, sold it off to a private equity firm, and went on vacation for a year. He doesn’t have a clue how hard it is for people in Northeast Wisconsin to buy groceries or put gas in their cars, not to mention the cost of housing.”

“Growing up, Dr. Lyerly’s family struggled with exactly these problems. She knows the cost of living is too high for most of us. And, unlike Trump-endorsed Tony Wied, she will stand up for Wisconsinites instead of acting as a pawn for DC party bosses.”

A small group of protesters held signs, marched, and chanted outside of the AmeriLux International building to show their disapproval of Vance’s visit to Northeast Wisconsin.

“Concerned about Project 2025, concerned about restrictions on women’s reproductive rights, IDF, and birth control,” said Alicia Saunders who was one of the protesters.

The protesters told Local 5 News they trust Kamala Harris to get the economy back on track.

“She has shown that she is able to recover from a Trump presidency and the economy is on the rebound right now and the only way to save that is to continue with her,” said another protester named Brent Bergstrom.

“When your only plan for the people of Wisconsin is raising middle-class taxes by $3,900 a year, cutting Social Security and Medicare, and ripping away reproductive freedom, it’s no wonder JD Vance doesn’t want to talk about his own agenda,” Wisconsin’s Democratic Coordinated Campaign Rapid Response Director Kristi Johnston said in a statement.

The $3900 number comes from a study by the Center for American Progress Action Fund where they calculated the impact of Trump’s tariff proposals on American families. The former president has said that tariff revenues could be used to cut costs in other areas which he said would offset the cost on families.

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