Wisconsin's presidential primary on Tuesday has set the stage for a general election campaign that Democrats view as a significant opportunity in the state's recent history. The adoption of new legislative districts last month has leveled the playing field by eliminating Republican advantages that previously gave the GOP control of the Wisconsin Assembly despite Democrats winning the majority of statewide elections. Democrats are now optimistic about their chances to compete for a majority in the Assembly and believe that energized legislative campaigns can also boost voter turnout for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris in November.
The state Democratic Party chairman has coined the term “reverse coattails” to describe the strategy of using down-ballot candidates to drive up turnout among unlikely voters, potentially influencing the number of votes for Biden-Harris. Both parties anticipate a closely contested rematch between Biden and former President Donald Trump in several battleground states, including Wisconsin, which narrowly flipped from Trump to Biden in the previous election.
