Sanders, rising Democrats call for Midwest to unite to win

MADISON, Wis. — Sen. Bernie Sanders and others from the liberal wing of the Democratic Party called on Democrats from key Midwestern states Wednesday to work together to not only defeat President Donald Trump, but to also forge ahead with a progressive agenda. “We have got to lay out a vision for the American people today who are struggling and hurting in a way we have never seen for a very, very long time.” Sanders’ message to the Midwestern activists, on a call organized by Wisconsin Democrats, came after he delivered a similar message in a prime time speech Monday at the national convention. “Don’t let anybody fool you, our agenda, the progressive agenda, is the agenda of the American people.” Democrats decided to award the national convention to Milwaukee in part to show a seriousness toward winning back Wisconsin and the Midwest, often referred to as a “blue wall.” Trump became the first Republican presidential candidate to carry Wisconsin since Ronald Reagan in 1984, but he did it by the narrowest of margins, less than 23,000 votes. “I did hear the Democrats were supposed to have their national convention in Wisconsin, but they couldn’t make it,” Vice President Mike Pence said on Wednesday during a visit to Tankcraft Corporation in Darien, Wisconsin. I heard on the way here that Joe Biden hasn’t been to Wisconsin in 659 days.. Get used to seeing us, because President Donald Trump and I are going to be back to Wisconsin again and again and again to earn four more years in the White House.” Trump held rallies in Wisconsin and Minnesota on Monday and is scheduled to travel to Pennsylvania, the state of Biden’s birth, on Thursday, ahead of the Democrat’s acceptance speech.