Democrats and Republicans descend on western Wisconsin with high stakes up and down the ballot

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (AP) — For a brief moment this week, the fierce competition for swing voters in swing-state Wisconsin converged on the tarmac of the tiny Chippewa Valley Regional Airport.

Minutes after Vice President Kamala Harris landed with her new running mate Tim Walz for their first campaign stop in the state, Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance arrived. He walked across the tarmac to check out Air Force Two, just missing Harris.

The close encounter of the political kind could be written off as a coincidence if it happened anywhere other than Wisconsin, one of a small number of states that will not only determine the winner of the presidential race but could also shape the balance of power in Congress. But it sent a much louder signal that both parties understand the importance of a region that could tip the balance of power in more ways than one.

The western Wisconsin congressional district where Harris, Walz and Vance all campaigned Wednesday is one Democrats hope to flip this year as they look to cut into the narrow GOP majority in the House. It’s also crucial to U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin’s reelection bid, a must-have for Democrats if they are to hold onto the Senate.

<bsp-list-loadmore data-module="" class=«PageListStandardB» data-gtm-region=«RELATED COVERAGE» data-gtm-topic=«No Value» data-show-loadmore=«true» data-gtm-modulestyle=«List B»> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> RELATED COVERAGE </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Wisconsin’s state primaries </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> Vance jokes he’s checking out his future VP plane while overlapping with Harris at Wisconsin airport