RNC review: Man shot by Ohio police, Brady Street quiet and more from RNC in Milwaukee
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Here's a full review of Day 2 of the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
Amid a host of events Tuesday, five Columbus, Ohio, police officers shot and killed a Milwaukee man just under a mile from the RNC's security perimeter.
At Fiserv Forum, the convention's center, a long list of speakers took the stage at Tuesday's session.
It followed the RNC's first day, which included former President Donald Trump officially winning the nomination and choosing Sen. JD Vance of Ohio as his running mate.
Mourners for man shot by Columbus police condemn officials for hosting RNC
At a vigil Tuesday night for the Milwaukee man shot and killed by out-of-state police officers, mourners decried local officials for allowing Republicans to hold their national convention in Milwaukee.
"I love my city, but I can't say the city loves us back, time and time again," said Alan Chavoya with the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.
Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman said five police officers from Columbus, Ohio, shot and a man armed with knives early Tuesday afternoon, just blocks from the Republican National Convention. He died at the scene.
The man was identified as Samuel Sharpe Jr. by a first cousin, Linda Sharpe, who spoke to reporters at the scene of the shooting. He was living in what activists at Tuesday's vigil called a "tent city" at King Park.
About 4,000 out-of-state officers are in town for the convention to help with security. Norman said the officers involved in the incident were in their assigned zone related to RNC duties for potential demonstration response.
(11:30 p.m.)
— Drake Bentley, Gina Lee Castro and Jessica Rodriguez
Police release bodycam footage of fatal Milwaukee shooting near RNC
Five police officers from Columbus, Ohio, shot and killed an armed man early Tuesday afternoon just west of downtown Milwaukee, Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman said.
The shooting was captured on officer bodycam, which the Columbus Division of Police released Tuesday evening.
The footage shows the man was armed with the knives, and lunging toward another man, at the time of the shooting.
A vigil was planned Tuesday evening for the man, who was known in the area by the nickname Jehovah.
The man was identified later Tuesday as Samuel Sharpe Jr. by a first cousin, Linda Sharpe, who spoke to reporters at the scene of the shooting.
More: What we know and don't about the police shooting in Milwaukee near the RNC
(8:50 p.m.)
— John Diedrich
Columbus, Ohio, police officers shoot, kill Milwaukee man outside of RNC perimeter, sources say
Five Columbus, Ohio, police officers shot and killed a Milwaukee man early Tuesday afternoon near the RNC in downtown Milwaukee, said three Milwaukee law enforcement sources.
The shooting occurred near North 14th and West Vliet streets just under a mile from the security perimeter for the Republican National Convention, according to Milwaukee law enforcement sources, who asked not to be named publicly because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the ongoing investigation.
(4:45 p.m.)
— John Diedrich
Silk 'rush' at 1 a.m.?
At 11:15 p.m. Tuesday, Silk, a gentleman’s club just off of Water Street, was empty. But it’s possible business will pick up in the early morning hours.
Performers said that, on Tuesday morning at about 1, there was “a rush” of people coming to the club. The performers confirmed many had the RNC badges around their necks.
“There were a lot of men in suits,” one performer said.
It was busier than the typical late Monday into Tuesday night.
The main level for the venue is small but the performers said about 10 or 12 people came in. Some were couples.
The performers expect the week to be busy with mostly RNC visitors.
One performer speculated the regular crowd could be scared off by the increase in security and police.
(11:35 p.m.)
— Genevieve Redsten and Ricardo Torres
Ron DeSantis and Mitch McConnell visited Red Rock this week
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell have both paid visits to Red Rock Saloon, 1225 N. Water St., this week.
The country bar has been busy for the RNC. Several hundred people showed up for private parties Monday and Tuesday.
Another private party is scheduled for Wednesday — with a musical performance by country band Locash.
The bar’s signature mechanical bull has been free to ride for all guests.
McConnell did give a speech at the Red Rock party Tuesday. He did not, however, ride the bull, sources told the Journal Sentinel.
(11:30 p.m.)
— Genevieve Redsten
County Executive David Crowley issues statement on Tuesday’s fatal officer involved shooting near King Park
A 43-year-old man was shot and killed Tuesday afternoon by five Columbus, Ohio police officers, near King Park after he refused to drop knives during an altercation with another man. The officers were in their assigned zone related to RNC duties for potential demonstration response, according to Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman.
County Executive David Crowley released an official statement regarding the shooting on his X account, saying that his "heart goes out to the families, the community, and all those affected by the tragic events that occurred outside King Park today."
He added that the Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services was providing assistance and counseling to those in need.
"But as we have seen in the past, the trauma and grief that residents are currently experiencing will impact their day-to-day lives long after today," Crowley said. "We must keep working to stop the cycle of violence and foster safer neighborhoods for every resident, family, and child in Milwaukee."
(11:24 p.m.)
— Adrienne Davis
Actor and musician Jared Leto seen in the Third Ward in Milwaukee
Musician and actor Jared Leto used his official Instagram on Tuesday to promote ehat Milwaukee was up first for his tour with his band, Thirty Seconds to Mars, which also features his brother, Shannon Leto.
The two are scheduled to perform at the Rave at 8 p.m. Wednesday. The band's last album, "It's the End of the World but It's a Beautiful Day" was released in 2023.
Leto was also seen riding around the Third Ward on a Lime scooter, according to an Instagram post from a TMJ4 news reporter.
(11:03 p.m.)
— Adrienne Davis
Newt Gingrich at The Brewery
Former House Speaker Republican Newt Gingrich was at a private event at The Brewery, 1101 N. Water St., staff said.
The party was roughly 50 people but it has been “slower than expected.”
Staff said several places on Water Street have less business than normal.
On Tuesday night, convention visitors trickled into The Brewery and the Fox News talk show "Gutfeld!" was playing on TV.
While on many nights, Water Street is packed with people in their early 20s, they seemed to stay home on this beautiful, crisp 70-degree night with a light breeze.
(10:55 p.m.)
— Ricardo Torres
First-time delegate, first time in Milwaukee
Iowa delegate Ben Ellison was impressed with the setup of a private party hosted by the Virginia delegation at the Marcus Performing Arts Center, 929 N. Water St.
There was a live band, finger food, sandwiches and drinks.
“High-class,” Ellison said. “They made an outdoor area and turned it indoors and into an ice box.”
The lawn area on the south side of the center was fully tented. The air conditioning was set at full blast.
“But I like the cold,” Ellison said.
It’s his first time as a delegate, Ellison said. Living in Dubuque, Iowa, he said he's a typical political junkie but this time in Milwaukee is new to him.
“This is my first convention. I’m soaking it all in,” Ellison said.
It’s also his first time in Milwaukee.
“It’s not bad. I’ve been to most places in Wisconsin,” Ellison said. "Security is almost as tight as D.C. But that is to be expected after what happened on Saturday.”
(10:39 p.m.)
— Ricardo Torres
Trump's motorcade drives toward Pfister
Trump returns for second night of convention without speaking
The RNC's second day ended without Trump addressing the crowd, but his reactions to speeches were frequently shared throughout the night.
Much of the programming for Day 2 focused on crime in America, including immigration and policing. Notably, Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis, who weren't originally scheduled to speak, rallied the crowd around a message of unity. RNC co-chair Michael Whatley adjourned the convention at 10:24 p.m.
(10:26 p.m.)
—Tristan Hernandez and Mary Spicuzza
Pfister Hotel, where Trump is believed to be staying during the RNC, might be haunted
The Pfister Hotel, where Trump is believed to be staying during the RNC, might be haunted.
Legend has it that a ghost lingers at the Milwaukee hotel, which was built 1893 by Guido Pfister and his son, Charles, billed at the time as the "Grand Hotel of the West."
(10:21 p.m.)
— JR Radcliffe
Mobile billboards call for release of Hamas hostages
The faces of U.S. citizens kidnapped by Hamas flashed outside Red Arrow Park Tuesday night.
Seven LED trucks parked along Water Street urged American politicians to “BRING THEM HOME.”
The advertisements were sponsored by the Israeli-American Council, a pro-Israeli advocacy organization. Its CEO, Elan Carr, is a former Trump administration official.
(10:13 p.m.)
— Genevieve Redsten
Hovde reiterates message of unity after Trump assassination attempt
Wisconsin U.S. senate candidate Eric Hovde told the Journal Sentinel Americans need to “come together” following the assassination attempt against Trump.
“We've got to stop putting on the blue jersey and red jersey and fighting amongst ourselves. We've got to put on the red, white and blue jersey and come together as Americans,” Hovde said, adding the “inflammatory rhetoric of divisiveness” is “tearing up” our country.
In the wake of the shooting, the Biden-Harris campaign canceled counterprogramming events Sunday and Monday and pulled down advertisements.
In a Tuesday morning press conference, the campaign resumed its messaging against Republicans, hitting the Trump-Vance ticket on abortion and union issues.
Asked if it was the right move for Democrats to pull their advertisements and cancel events, Hovde said ”whatever can lower the rhetoric and the tension in our country is good on both sides.”
(10:08 p.m.)
— Rachel Hale
Where are the Trump children during the RNC?
From business to politics, Trump has famously appointed his children to high-ranking roles in his ventures.
But this week his daughter, Ivanka, and his wife, Melania, have been noticeably absent during one of the most public moments of Trump's latest presidential campaign.
Neither were in the audience Monday night, when Trump was both formally confirmed as the GOP presidential nominee and made his first appearance after surviving an assassination attempt.
(10:01 p.m.)
— Maia Pandey
Rudy Giuliani takes a fall at the 2024 RNC
Rudy Giuliani took a tumble at the convention, tripping while holding an Osmo camera Tuesday inside Fiserv Forum.
Giuliani, who had his New York law license revoked earlier this month, had to be helped up but appeared to be OK.
Giuliani, the ex-New York City mayor and personal lawyer to former President Donald Trump, addressed his fall on X (formerly Twitter) Tuesday night.
(9:45 p.m.)
— Christopher Kuhagen
Handful of high-end restaurants were closed
A few high-end restaurants were closed to the public Tuesday night.
Black Chevy Suburbans with Virginia license plates were spotted outside Ardent, 1749-1751 N. Farwell Ave.
A group of people, one wearing an RNC lanyard, were photographed heading into the high-end restaurant, which has received seven James Beard Award nominations under chef-owner Justin Carlisle.
An Ardent employee couldn't "confirm nor deny" whether the restaurant hosted any VIPs for dinner, but it was closed to the public Tuesday.
Harbor House, a Bartolotta restaurant at 550 N. Harbor Dr. on Lake Michigan, was also listed as closed on Google and a source confirmed the restaurant would be closed to the public Tuesday.
Bacchus, another Bartolotta restaurant, at 925 E. Wells St., was closed to the public July 13- 26 for a private event, according to its website.
(9:35 p.m.)
— Genevieve Redsten, Ricardo Torres, Jordyn Noennig
Zaffiro’s Pizza delivered in soft security zone
It was nearly 90 degrees Monday when the RNC kicked off in Milwaukee and some delegates decided to order food instead of going out.
One of those restaurants that delivered was Zaffiro’s Pizza, 1724 N. Farwell Ave.
Manager Jose Jimenez remembers his delivery driver telling him he needed to drive through the security checkpoints. But Tuesday, the delivery driver had car issues and delivery has been closed for the night.
“It cuts a lot of business,” Jimenez said.
Like a lot of businesses on the east side, it has been slow.
“It’s been pretty slow since yesterday,” Jimenez said. “Usually Tuesdays is busy … the bar is filled up.”
Zaffiro’s has increased staff for the week in case things change.
“I just dismiss people if it’s slow,” Jimenez said.
(9:01 p.m.)
— Ricardo Torres
East side conservative view on RNC, politics
Rick Paikowski was drinking a White Claw at Wolski’s Tavern, 1836 N. Pulaski St., with one other person in the quiet Milwaukee landmark.
“I’m the last Paikowski left on the east side,” he said with a wide grin.
Paikowski is conservative but “I keep it low-key.”
He thinks Republicans from the convention aren’t venturing out because they “know what city they’re in,”meaning a deep-blue city.
“It’ll be good in the end,” Paikowski said of the convention. “I give them a lot of credit for choosing Milwaukee."
But Paikowski is enjoying the convention.
“I know most of my neighbors don’t,” he said with a chuckle.
While much of the talk the last few days has been about dialing down the heat on the rhetoric, Paikowski said, for years before Trump, the political conversation has been intense.
“That’s where we’re at,” Paikowski said. “The political atmosphere is so volatile.”
After Trump was shot Saturday, Paikowski said he wondered “is Milwaukee going to be a flashpoint for the next civil war?”
But even in a Democratic city, Paikowski has no plans to leave.
“I enjoy hanging around the east side,” he said. “I’m not ready to give up.”
(8:25 p.m.)
— Ricardo Torres
Rep. Derrick Van Orden accuses Code Pink antiwar protester of assault during RNC
Wisconsin Rep. Derrick Van Orden on Tuesday accused an antiwar protester of assault during an incident in downtown Milwaukee, prompting a police investigation.
Code Pink, the protest group involved in the incident, denied an assault took place and said Van Orden “tried to shove past” the activist.
The interaction occurred near the 400 block of East Wisconsin Avenue shortly after 11 a.m., according to the Milwaukee Police Department, which said it's investigating the incident as an assault.
(8:17 p.m.)
— Lawrence Andrea
Trump returns on night two of the RNC
Trump is back for the second night of the RNC in Milwaukee.
Again wearing a large bandage on his ear, he entered shortly after 8 p.m. Tuesday to a standing ovation and booming applause as "What I Like About You" blasted through Fiserv Forum.
(8:05 p.m.)
— Mary Spicuzza
Wolski’s closing later than usual
Looking to close Wolski’s? Be prepared to stay up late.
Bar close in Milwaukee is 4 a.m. for the RNC this week.
Wolski’s — the iconic Milwaukee bar at 1836 N. Pulaski St. known for its closing-time bumper stickers — is taking advantage of the bonus hours.
Bartender Johnny Ransdell announced last call around 3:30 a.m. Tuesday. If customers are sticking around, he said he’ll stay open until 4.
But out-of-towers and early risers need not worry: Ransdell is pretty generous with the “I closed Wolski’s” stickers.
“As long as you’re not an asshole, I’ll usually just give it to you before you leave,” he said.
(8 p.m.)
— Genevieve Redsten
At RNC, Lambeau, Babydog and other K-9s steal the show
(7:57 p.m.)
Trump is seeing a familiar building outside his hotel window at the Pfister
When Trump looks out his room at Milwaukee's Pfister Hotel this week, he'll see a familiar building. It looks a lot like his former hotel in Washington, D.C. In fact, it's an exact replica.
Construction on Milwaukee's federal courthouse began in 1892, the same year as the Old Post Office in Washington D.C.
In Milwaukee, the building that's on the eastern edge of Milwaukee's downtown and kitty-corner from the Pfister, was used for various government functions when it first opened in 1899 — as the Post Office, for state and federal courts, and even an office of weights and measures among others.
Today, the building houses the federal courts as well as various federal offices. The space is immaculately maintained and visitors are awed by the architecture, which is Richardsonian Romanesque.
In Washington, D.C., the same building went up the same year and was used for essentially the same purposes.
In 2013, the federal government leased the property for 60 years to a consortium headed by Trump, which developed the property into a hotel, the Trump International Hotel Washington, D.C., which opened in September 2016. In 2022, it became the Waldorf Astoria Washington DC.
So if the former president has some insomnia while in town for the RNC — the Pfister is purported to be haunted — he might take some comfort looking out on what sure looks like his old hotel.
(7:26 p.m.)
— John Diedrich
Business as usual on Brady Street
Brady Street showed no signs of MAGA on Tuesday.
Along the strip of bars and restaurants on the lower east side — just over a mile from the RNC — it’s been business as usual.
A caravan of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. supporters, honking their horns and waving American flags as they drove down the street, were Brady’s only happy-hour politickers.
At La Masa, 1300 E. Brady St., it was a regular Tuesday.
The Argentine restaurant didn’t staff up for the RNC, and there hasn’t been an influx of new customers.
“No one over here really expected it to change,” manager Darian Emerson said.
Like many Brady Street businesses, La Masa expects Brady Fest this weekend will be bigger for business than the RNC.
Nashville North, 1216 E. Brady St., which is normally closed Mondays, stayed open Monday night for the RNC, but business was slow.
The bar expects Tuesday night will be busier, as the regular crowd trickles in for blue grass and karaoke.
Manager Jake Garncarz said Nashville North is ready just in case some RNC visitors spill over from Fiserv. The bar staffed an extra bartender, and it’s stocked up on drinks.
"I don’t know what to expect, to be honest,” he said.
Bandit MKE, a vintage boutique at 1224 E. Brady St.,, seemed to have left a message for Trump in the window.
“Nasty Woman in a Horrible City,” said a T-shirt in the display case.
(7:16 p.m.)
— Genevieve Redsten
Man wearing ski mask arrested outside Fiserv Forum Monday
A 21-year-old man wearing a ski mask and carrying a “large tactical backpack in the street” was arrested Monday afternoon, blocks from Fiserv Forum on suspicion of carrying a concealed weapon, according to Milwaukee police.
The man was initially noticed by U.S. Capitol Police. Officers from that department stopped him and determined he had a gun in his backpack, despite not having a concealed carry permit in Wisconsin or any other state, according to Milwaukee police.
(7:11 p.m.)
— Alison Dirr
Sheriff Joe Arpaio from Arizona spotted in Milwaukee
Joe Arpaio, who was sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona, for 24 years and made headlines for his immigration enforcement actions and treatment of prisoners, was spotted Tuesday morning, waiting to get into the Pfister Hotel in downtown Milwaukee for an RNC event.
Arpaio, 92, who styled himself "America's Toughest Sheriff," has been hailed for being tough on immigration and also accused of civil rights violations and misconduct in office. He was convicted of federal contempt charge, a misdemeanor. Trump pardoned Arpaio, who has long been a Trump supporter.
"It was like a middle finger" to those who charged him, Arpaio told a reporter from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel waiting in line with him Tuesday.
Arpaio said he hadn't seen Trump since he's been in Milwaukee and didn't know if he would. But he said he just saw Trump in Arizona last month.
"He gave me a kiss when he saw me," Arpaio said.
As Arpaio turned to go in the Pfister in a long security line, he was introduced to a police officer from Fort Worth, Texas, in Milwaukee to help with security. The officer was all smiles.
"It's an honor to meet you, Sheriff Joe," he said.
(6:43 p.m.)
— John Diedrich
Eric Hovde gets RNC speaking slot, attacks Baldwin, Biden and news media
Hovde used his time on the RNC’s stage to launch attacks against some of his favorite targets.
Sen. Tammy Baldwin, Biden and the media all took the brunt of his criticism.
Hovde, a multimillionaire banking mogul, continued his attempts to tie Baldwin to Biden as the Madison Democrat has distanced herself from the president. Hovde said Democratic policies have “made us less safe at home.”
He pointed to the southern border and the fentanyl crisis as top issues. He said people’s budgets, the border and the world were more secure under Trump.
(6:40 p.m.)
— Lawrence Andrea
Melania Trump conspicuously absent from RNC
There one was person noticeably absent from Trump's appearances at the RNC — former first lady Melania Trump.
Early reports indicted that she would be present to watch her husband accept his nomination for presidency Thursday, but she hasn't made an official appearance yet in Milwaukee.
Despite Melania's absence, Amber Rose praised the former first lady during her speech on Day 1 of the convention.
(6:40 p.m.)
— Adrienne Davis
Milwaukee weather 'more typical' for the remainder of the RNC
Milwaukee weather will be in the upper-70s and low-80s for the remainder of the RNC, after Monday was hot and humid with temperatures in the high-80s and a nighttime thunderstorm hit convention goers between 9 p.m. to midnight.
“It’s certainly going to be less active,” said John Gagan, meteorologist at the local National Weather Service office. “We’re going to be getting cooler, drier and more typical of Milwaukee weather this time of year.”
Tuesday still had some humidity, with temperatures in the low-80s. Temperatures were predicted to dip to the mid-60s at night.
Gagan said forecasts showed temperatures in the upper-70s or low-80s Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, with lows in the upper-50s.
Wednesday has a chance of showers between noon to 4 p.m. Thursday and Friday were predicted to be mostly sunny.
“I would say it’s a touch on the cooler side of average,” Gagan said. “It’s not unusual to be in the mid-to-upper-70s this time of year. It’s probably a little more uncommon to have the weather we had the last three days with the humidity.”
(6:19 p.m.)
— Jordyn Noennig
Reince Priebus in speech: 'Milwaukee is a world-class city'
Host Committee chairman Reince Priebus welcomed delegations to Wisconsin during his speaking slot Tuesday night, encouraging visitors to order a basket of cheese curds, drink a few beers and experience the "beautiful beaches of Lake Michigan."
"Milwaukee is a world-class city, and Wisconsinites are some of the kindest people you'll ever meet," Priebus said.
Priebus called Wisconsin "the nation's premier battleground state" and said "we can make Wisconsin red again in 2024 and send Donald Trump back to the White House."
(6:05 p.m.)
— Hope Karnopp
Man protests for fathers' rights
James Taylor, 44, of Milwaukee is protesting for fathers' rights.
Outside of the 3rd Street Market Hall, 275 W. Wisconsin Ave., on Tuesday afternoon, Taylor was raising awareness while picking up trash in a red-and-white striped shirt. His shirt says in marker “here to clean up litter and trash, not to burn buildings #equalfathersrights."
Taylor started collecting trash around 1 p.m. By 5 p.m., he had filled 14 30-gallon bags.
Taylor said he has volunteered for the fathers' rights movement and has taken calls from distressed fathers.
“Dads are important,” he said “Nobody’s fighting for us.”
(6 p.m.)
— Jessica Rodriguez and Gina Lee Castro
Man in Joker costume near 3rd Street Market Hall makes balloon animal
A man in a Joker costume was spotted walking up and down on North Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. around 2:30 p.m., across the street from the 3rd Street Market Hall and the security checkpoint. He spent some of that time arguing with anti-Trump protesters.
The man, who said his character name is Consternation the Clown and his real name is Robert (he declined to provide his last name), said he makes balloon animals and hands out comic books.
"I want to inspire children to read, and comic books are a great way to do that because of both art and literature," he said.
He said he made a balloon animal for a woman on her way to an RNC event. She asked for a red, white and blue balloon, he said.
"Blue and white, made a scepter and a little red flower for a tie, and she loved it," Robert said.
(5:50 p.m.)
— Alec Johnson
Vance's wife makes a stop at Downtown Books
Vance's wife, Usha, stopped at Downtown Books, 624 N. Broadway, on Tuesday afternoon, according to owner Keith Pajot.
Usha Vance, an attorney, bought two books — while accompanied by several Secret Service agents "who didn't buy any books," Pajot said.
That purchase aside, sales have been slow this week, Pajot said. A lot of his regular customers are likely working remotely and otherwise staying out of downtown during the RNC, he said.
(5:15 p.m.)
— Tom Daykin
Penzeys Spices takes down 'Welcome Future Fake Electors' sign, then puts it back up
In the wake of the assassination attempt on Trump, both major political parties have asked people to "cool down" the rhetoric.
At the time of the shooting, Penzeys Spices, 638 N. Water St., had a sign on its window that read "Welcome Future Fake Electors." After the shooting, CEO Bill Penzey decided to take it down.
"There’s a time for clever and in the wake of it all and not wanting to cause extra hurt it seemed better not in the window," Penzey said in an email to the Journal Sentinel.
But it seems like that time has passed.
The welcome sign is back up, and Tuesday, Penzey put up another sign that reads "'We the People' means everyone," with the word "everyone" colored in the style of LGBTQ+ pride flag.
Penzey also wrote on the company Facebook page:
"We tried. We were ready to take a new path. But then Republicans just used the opening to become an even greater risk to the survival of our democracy.
"In the wake of Saturday’s events, Speaker of the House Johnson wants President Biden to stop talking about what Republicans did January 6. He wants the president to go silent on how dangerous they’ve become to everything that is America. Don’t do it, Joe!"
The post went on to criticize Republicans' support of Trump and included a photo of a billboard that reads, "Welcome to Milwaukee: Remember, remember January 6 this November!"
Penzey said the signs haven't hurt sales these last few days.
"This past Saturday, Sunday were probably the busiest days we’ve had there since opening," Penzey said. "Monday with the actual convention starting, it seems like the people have cleared out a bit and sales have come back to closer to normal."
(5:10 p.m.)
— Ricardo Torres
Business as usual at Milwaukee Public Library, no TikToks planned … yet
It’s business as usual inside the Milwaukee Public Library Central Branch. Well, almost.
At 814 W. Wisconsin Ave., the branch is adjacent to one of the vehicle screening spots of the RNC. People are still using the building as a cooling center, including police officers who needed respite from Monday’s high heat, said Melissa Howard, the library's community relations and engagement director.
Milwaukee residents have still been the main patrons this week, Howard said. One change, though, is that cars can’t access the drive-though, so people have been walking up to pick up their books.
“The focus has really been, 'Can we keep our services up and running as much as possible?'” Howard said.
Staff members are playing a role, though, in capturing the local history by collecting photos, brochures and flyers of this week’s history-making event.
So far, library staff don’t plan to make any of its iconic TikToks related to the event.
Howard hopes out-of-towners come to the library “to see what a big, beautiful institution that we have here in Milwaukee.”
“I also hope that they're able to get outside of the security footprint and just see all the areas of Milwaukee that really make this place great,” Howard said
(4:35 p.m.)
— Caitlin Looby and Bridget Fogarty
Chair of Milwaukee County GOP talks Trump appearance at RNC, Milwaukee Republicans
Hilario Deleon, chairman of the Republican Party of Milwaukee County, said Trump's arrival at the convention Monday night was an emotional experience.
"I was wiping tears from my eyes," he told the Journal Sentinel at Wisconsin Media Row Tuesday afternoon. "Just the fact that he came out, his presence there, it unified the Republican Party."
Deleon watched the assassination attempt on Trump live on TV and was "exhausted" in the days after, fielding calls about how the RNC might be affected.
Deleon said Republicans "have a right to be pissed" about the assassination attempt and criticized people who made jokes about the incident on social media.
"We didn't go out there and create chaos. Instead, we came together and we prayed," Deleon said. "Let's try to lower the rhetoric, bring the country together."
Deleon said it's "not an easy task being the chairman of a minority party in a very blue area."
There are thousands of conservatives who aren't showing up, he said, who could make the difference in Wisconsin. The party needs to build relationships with people who may feel like their vote doesn't count, Deleon said.
Asked for his Milwaukee recommendations, Deleon said to check out Lake Michigan, the Milwaukee Art Museum and local bars with great food.
(4:30 p.m.)
— Hope Karnopp and Hannah Kirby
More: They are Republicans in a Democratic city. Meet these conservative Milwaukeeans
Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson pushes for school choice during Moms for Liberty town hall
During Moms for Liberty’s “Giving Americans a Voice” Town Hall on Tuesday afternoon, Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson pushed for school choice vouchers and called to move past large schools. He brought up the point in relation to the recent assassination attempt against Trump.
“The initial interviews,” Johnson said, showed the shooter was “in probably a large school, being bullied all the time. I’m hoping if there’s one result from Moms for Liberty, and this is actually going to all be tied together here, is we start moving away from these massive, large schools.”
The shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, attended Bethel Park High School, which had 1,338 students enrolled during the 2023-2023 school year. That makes the school larger than the nationwide school enrollment average of 854 students and Pennsylvania’s average school size of 889 students.
“During COVID-19, parents were looking over the shoulder of their kids and they're seeing that these large schools, these large bureaucracies, are getting completely out of control and unaccountable,” Johnson continued during the speech.
Asked after the event if he was insinuating large schools were partially to blame for the shooting, Johnson said “there’s so much we don’t know” but that the kid was "alienated" and "bullied," which he said “we’ve seen too many times in the past.”
Johnson said Trump will speak about unity at the RNC as a result of the assassination attempt, which he said is a good thing.
"We have to unify and heal this nation,” Johnson told reporters. Asked if he blames rhetoric on the left for the shooting, Johnson told reporters “he blames the shooter” but said “vitriol on the left is not helpful.”
(4 p.m.)
— Rachel Hale
Employees at restaurants just outside of perimeter struggle getting to work
Ryan Cooke, director of operations at the Milwaukee Brat House, 1013 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., said that the first day of the RNC brought his business logistical challenges, especially when it came to employees getting into work.
"We're a Milwaukee bar, tied to our cars a lot of the time, so we have staff biking, scootering, however they can get here," Cooke said.
The business struggled to fulfill meal deliveries and trash pickup due to convention-related road closures and security parameters.
However, by Tuesday afternoon, Cooke said the Milwaukee Brat House was working through rough spots and picking up customers. After a busy July spent preparing for convention week, he hopes they'll see some financial benefits from the event.
"You know the first day, there's gonna be miscommunication and challenges, but they're starting to be remedied now," he said. "The funny thing is it's gonna all be figured out by Thursday. Then, it's gonna be done."
(3:35 p.m.)
— Tamia Fowlkes
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley talks about disproving Milwaukee's 'horrible city' label
(3:15 p.m.)
— Hannah Kirby
Some restaurants less busy than expected
At 600 East Cafe, 600 E. Wisconsin Ave., owner Jill Ruffing extended business hours to accommodate RNC traffic. The cafe is usually open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. but will stay open until 5 p.m. during the convention.
However, business has been slower than expected.
"We did the same volume yesterday that we would do in our normal 8 to 2 hours" despite the extended hours, Ruffing said.
"I planned for double, triple, four times my business. I had to stock up on a lot of food because a lot of my suppliers are not coming into the city this week," she said.
Before the convention, the RNC Milwaukee Host Committee offered 600 East Cafe a spot at the Convention Fest but Ruffing declined because she didn't have the capacity to run a booth and the cafe itself. However, Ruffing made sure to register the cafe with the RNC vendor directory.
A delegate from Pennsylvania called Ruffing to place an order of 150 box lunches, which she said was a "dream" for her business. But, the delegate then said that, if 600 East Cafe isn't part of Convention Fest, it can't cater lunch inside the perimeter.
Ruffing said she had no idea of this rule when she declined the position at Convention Fest.
"It's kind of still vague, but we were never really told (the rules)," she said. "Yesterday, I was feeling a little bummed because now I can't do catering and there's no people on this side of town."
Adam Siegel, the owner of Lupi & Iris, 777 N. Van Buren St., also said communication from the Host Committee has been "not great."
In 2023, Siegel said the Host Committee led them to have high expectations for RNC business.
"We thought we were gonna see people booking our private party rooms. We thought that we were going to see elevated business numbers because of us being very close proximity to Fiserv but outside of the security zone (with) plenty of parking above us," he said.
That has not been the case. If Monday's trend continues, Siegel said Lupi and Iris could be down well over 50 percent during the convention.
"I think that there's a few companies out there that are getting the majority of the business and they have a stronger affiliation maybe with Visit Milwaukee and the Host Committee, from what we hear," Siegel said.
At Andiamo Coffee and Tea, which is next to Lupi & Iris, manager Joshua Huff said traffic has mostly been tenants who live in the apartment building above the coffee shop.
As Andiamo is situated near the Northwestern Mutual and U.S. Bank offices, Huff said most of its regulars are commuters. This week, those regulars are "gone."
(2:50 p.m.)
— Kathryn Muchnick
Historic Third Ward business activity lighter than usual
Business activity in the Historic Third Ward has been lighter than usual this week.
"It's very quiet. And this neighborhood is very rarely quiet," said Karen Bell, owner of Bavette La Boucherie, a restaurant and butcher shop at 217 N. Broadway.
That includes a Tuesday lunch business that was about 25% of a normal weekday lunch, she said.
Also seeing slower than normal traffic this week is The Wicked Hop tavern and restaurant, 345 N. Broadway, said morning manager Lily Nieves.
It's been quieter than usual at Pink Moon Bay, a woman's clothing boutique at 317 N. Broadway, said Callie Mangan, assistant manager.
But the store got a bit of a bump Monday from convention attendees buying sun dresses — an apparent reaction to that day's 90-degree temperatures, Mangan said.
Also, the new Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shop, which had its first full day Monday, is doing a great business, much of its from neighborhood residents, said co-owner Tricia Rasmussen. It's at 203 N. Broadway.
But perhaps the Third Ward's best bellwether is The Milwaukee Public Market, 400 N. Water St., home to around 20 restaurants, taverns and shops.
The market had less business than usual Monday, said Paul Schwartz, executive director.
He attributed that in part to the market's proximity to security checkpoints for motorists heading west across the nearby Milwaukee River to the RNC, which tied up traffic. Tuesday has seen an uptick in business, Schwartz said.
Another factor that could be slowing down Third Ward activity: several parking spots in the 200 block of North Broadway were blocked off Monday and Tuesday.
That was apparently tied to security concerns centering on a private event scheduled for Tuesday night at The Kimpton Journeyman Hotel, at East Chicago Street and North Broadway, neighborhood business owners said.
(2:40 p.m.)
— Tom Daykin
At an empty protest zone, push-up competitions to pass the time
The Haymarket Square demonstration zone a couple blocks away from Fiserv Forum remained quiet Tuesday.Two speakers spoke to an audience of about 13 event staffers and a few reporters until about 11:35 a.m. Other speakers had booked slots but hadn't shown up since then, with bookings slated until 6 p.m., according to one staffer.To pass the time, some event staffers began some push-up competitions.
(2:35 p.m.)
— Jolan Kruse and Piet Levy
NBC News' Kristen Welker on being in Milwaukee: 'We are honored to be here'
For Kristen Welker, moderator of "Meet the Press" on NBC News, what's stuck out most about Milwaukee is how "every single person who I encountered feels really proud" to live in a swing state that's hosting a major political event.
"We are honored to be here," Welker told the Journal Sentinel in an interview at Good City Brewing, where NBC News has set up operations for the week. "You can feel the responsibility and the weight that the people here in Milwaukee feel about hosting this convention. And in talking to people, people are buzzing about this race."
Welker called Wisconsin "ground zero" for who wins the election. After winning the state in 2016 and losing it to President Joe Biden in 2020, Trump "wants to win it back. That's why he's here."
"He is making a statement that these voters, that Wisconsin matters to the Republican Party," Welker said. "I think you are going to see both candidates make an incredibly forceful play to try to win over the voters here in Wisconsin."
(2:10 p.m.)
— Hope Karnopp
Hot dog vendors move to Red Arrow Park, have message for new Milwaukee visitors
On a typical weekday in Milwaukee, Jay Brown and Ireland Jones set up their mobile hot dog stand, IJ’s Quick Eats, on Third and Wells streets.
Roadblocks and the RNC perimeter had kept them from getting to their normal spot, Jones said, so they set up shop on the southeast corner of Red Arrow Park.
“This was the only spot,” he said, adding that an individual with the RNC welcomed the duo to sell their hotdogs, brats and chips there for the afternoon.
The traffic and parking challenges are “inconvenient,” Jones said, but he’s hopeful for business.
Jones and Brown said they’ll serve hot dogs and brats until 6 or 7 p.m. Tuesday and open back up Wednesday.
As Jones and Brown attended to a customer, chants on a loudspeaker from about 10 individuals holding signs with anti-LGBTQ+ messages stood on the roof above the coffee shop that looks over the park.
Otherwise, Tuesday afternoon at the park was quiet in contrast to the hundreds of protestors who gathered there Monday.
Jones had a message for anyone visiting Milwaukee for the first time.
“It’s a safe place to visit,” he said. “No matter what you see on the news, no matter what you hear, you just got to come here and enjoy (the) city for yourself.
“I hope everybody who comes here from out of town, you have a great experience. And get some food."
(2:05 p.m.)
— Bridget Fogarty, Caitlin Looby and La Risa Lynch
Most of this morning's protest action was at the hard perimeter entrance near the Baird Center
The designated protest zones remained quiet throughout much of Tuesday morning and early afternoon. Instead, small groups of protestors have congregated outside the entrance areas to the hard security area.
For example, about 10 protestors were outside the entrance near the Baird Center near Wisconsin Avenue and Dr. Martin Luther King Drive in the early afternoon. Many said they wanted to be near the action and felt like their voices would be better heard there.
Sean Keefe, an evangelist from North Carolina, said he was there because the protest zones and other entrance points were "dead."
"It's a battle for ideas," Keefe said. "So, we're just going where the people are."
(2 p.m.)
— Caitlin Looby and Bridget Fogarty
3rd St. Market Hall vendors: 'None of us really made money yesterday'
RNC week is off to a slow start for the vendors at 3rd St. Market Hall, 275 W. Wisconsin Ave. Most stalls struggled to reach their normal sale numbers Monday, despite expecting a rush of visitors from Fiserv Forum.
Business owners were told by market hall managers to expect 1,200 to 1,300 customers. Instead, there were barely 300 people, said Ken Hughes of DawgCity Hot Dog.
The business owners said RNC event-goers were given pre-purchased gift cards that can be used at any stall. How each stall will be compensated for these gift-card purchases remain unclear for stall owners. Many of them are asking: What happens when these gift-card users don’t show up?
The huge difference in the expected and actual number of customers have already led to monetary loss. Hughes said he had hired extra hands in preparation for the RNC; Monday, he had to send two of the workers home.
Hughes said he saw stall owners handing out leftover food for free Monday.
According to Edgar Aispuro, owner of Criollo, hall managers misjudged not only the size of the crowd but the time of its arrival.
“First, they told us the food should’ve been ready at 1, so we were ready at 1. Nobody showed up,” Aispuro said. “They were like, ‘Oh, it’s gonna be 5:30.’ Still, nobody showed up. We ended up being open to 10. Still, nobody showed up.”
Aispuro said he hopes business will pick up. In the first few hours Tuesday, the store has made more profit than Monday.
(1:45 p.m.)
— Jane Park
FBI, DHS warn of retaliatory attacks from extremists after assassination attempt on Trump
In a joint bulletin issued to law enforcement agencies across the country Monday, the FBI and Department of Homeland Security warned that extremist individuals or groups may instigate “follow-on or retaliatory” attacks related to the 2024 presidential election over the next several months.
The warning was issued on the first day of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee and in the wake of a shooting at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania that left one attendee and the gunman dead, and two others critically injured. The shooting is being investigated as an assassination attempt against former Trump, who was wounded at the rally.
While the warning was issued Monday, there's no clear connection to Milwaukee or the RNC.
(1:40 p.m.)
— Maya Homan, USA TODAY
Tuesday night speaker schedule released, includes Wisconsin U.S. Senate candidate Eric Hovde
The RNC has released its Tuesday night speaker list and schedule.
Eric Hovde, who is running for U.S. Senate against Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, will speak in the 6 p.m. hour, according to a source familiar with the schedule.
Reince Priebus, chairman of the Host Committee, will also speak.
Here's the schedule of speakers:
5-5:30 p.m.
Chairwoman Anne Hathaway, Committee on Arrangements
Gov. Bill Lee (Tennessee)
5:30-6 p.m.
Julie Harris, President of National Federation of Republican Women
Hayden Padget, Young Republicans Chairman
Matt Brooks, CEO of Republican Jewish Coalition
Reince Priebus, Chairman of Host Committee
James Crawford, Chair of the Potawatomi Nation
6-6:30 p.m.
Perry Johnson
Kari Lake
Eric Hovde
Bernie Moreno
Former Rep. Mike Rogers (Michigan)
Dave McCormick
6:30-7 p.m.
Jim Banks
Gov. Jim Justice (West Virginia)
Sam Brown
Tim Sheehy
Hung Cao
Sen. Rick Scott (Florida)
7-7:30 p.m.
Rep. Jeff Van Drew (New Jersey)
Rep. Elise Stefanik (New York), House Republican Conference Chair
Rep. Tom Emmer (Minnesota), House Majority Whip
Rep. Steve Scalise (Louisiana), House Majority Whip
Rep. Mike Johnson (Louisiana), House Majority Leader
7:30-8 p.m.
Vivek Ramaswamy
Savannah Chrisley
Mayor Eric Johnson
8-8:30 p.m.
Sen. Ted Cruz (Texas)
Randy Sutton, everyday American
Attorney General Brenna Bird (Iowa)
Former Amb. Nikki Haley
Gov. Ron DeSantis (Florida)
8:30-9 p.m.
Sen. Eric Schmitt (Missouri)
Sen. Tom Cotton (Arkansas)
Michael Coyle, everyday American
Erin Koper, everyday American
9-9:30 p.m.
Anne Fundner, everyday American
The Morin Family, everyday Americans
Madeline Brame, everyday American
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (Arkansas)
Dr. Ben Carson, former Housing & Urban Development Secretary
9:30-10 p.m.
Sen. Marco Rubio (Florida)
Co-Chair Lara Trump, Republican National Committee
Here's more on the speakers Tuesday night at the RNC
(1 p.m.)
— Hope Karnopp
Restaurants near Pfister Hotel see mixed results
Cubanitas and Brunch It Up, both in the 700 block of North Milwaukee Street, have seen mixed results.
Business from downtown workers and other regular customers is off. But the restaurants are seeing an influx of new customers visiting for the RNC.
“It’s not going to be a big moneymaking week but it’s going to be steady,” Cubanitas owner Marta Bianchini said.
The Cuban restaurant is extending its hours during the RNC, with a breakfast menu as well as a limited late-night menu.
Brunch It Up’s sales goal for Monday was $1,800, said Allison Moseley, general manager. It finished the day with less than $1,000 in revenue.
“Sales were a little slower than usual,” she said.
Both Moseley and Bianchini lamented the lack of street parking.
The block’s metered parking spaces are temporarily closed, with Milwaukee Street serving as a busy bus corridor for RNC attendees.
Also, the block is just west of the Pfister Hotel, where Trump is staying. That means heavy security and nearby street closures.
(12:55 p.m.)
— Tom Daykin
85% of scheduled speakers in south protest zone didn't show up Monday
As Day 2 of the RNC started Tuesday — a day with weather much more forgiving than Monday’s extreme heat — one of two designated protest zones at Zeidler Union Square was quiet.
About a dozen event safety staffers stood in the park.
Groups are signed up to speak Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. So far, three groups that signed up to speak in the protest zone haven’t show up, according to the safety staff.
Staff members also said that about 85% of Monday‘s speakers who signed up to talk at Zeidler Union Square didn’t show.
Five men who said they’re with the group Official Street Preachers came to the park to speak but were turned away by event staff since they weren’t signed up to protest. The street preachers wore shirts with messaging against abortion, queer relationships and Bible verses.
“Our plan was to preach but there’s no one to preach to,” said Rich Penkoski of Stillwater, Oklahoma.
Penkoski has faced legal action in Oklahoma over inflammatory and threatening online posts about a gay couple, the Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise reported.
The safety staff members said they expect it'll be even quieter Tuesday than Monday.
(12:50 p.m.)
— Bridget Fogarty, La Risa Lynch and Caitlin Looby
Two east side restaurants among businesses closed during convention
Some east side downtown businesses are closed for the RNC.
They include two eateries in the lower level of an office building at 770 N. Jefferson St.: Shah Jee, a Pakistani restaurant, and Midwest Sad, which includes breakfast items and desserts on its menu.
Last week, Midwest SAD owner Sam Sandrin told the Journal Sentinel that she was worried about how her still-new business would do during the RNC.
She had put out a call on the Milwaukee subreddit to encourage people to try their best to support local restaurants and small businesses during the convention.
(12:45 p.m.)
— Tom Daykin
Dissenting voices engage more closely than ever at RNC security perimeter
Standing on the same street corner near the 3rd Street Market Hall, protesters engage in discourse, face-to-face. Their long conversations occasionally attract the attention of other passerby, who stop to listen or take photos.
In addition to protesting in large groups Monday, individuals such as Nadine Seiler are deciding to stand alone or in pairs to protest near the perimeter. Some hold banners that declare “JESUS 2024: The Only Hope.” Others hold signs that read, “A World Without Fascism Is Possible.”
According to Seiler, whose sign says, “A Racist Rapist Seditionist Frauder & Felon Walks into his Convention,” protesting alone can be a vulnerable experience, particularly as a Black woman. Earlier Tuesday, a passing man responded to her chants of “Trump’s a loser!” and slapped her finger.
Despite that, she said she'll continue protesting Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
(12:30 p.m.)
— Jane Park
U.S. Coast Guard establishes maritime security zone on Milwaukee River
Through Friday, the U.S. Coast Guard will be monitoring security on the Milwaukee River from Cherry Street to Michigan Street.
No commercial or recreational vessel traffic will be permitted along the stretch of the river, called "Maritime Zone 3," although privately owned vessels docked at their registered locations may move along the river — as long as their boats don't require road bridges to be raised. Road bridges will remain in the closed position for the week.
The Journal Sentinel first reported in February that the Milwaukee River would likely close down for the RNC.
In May, members of the U.S. Coast Guard received RNC maritime security training on Lake Michigan. It was part of a comprehensive security training that involved agencies including the Milwaukee Police Department, Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Capitol Police, U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Customs & Border Protection.
All privately owned vessels moving within the maritime security zone are subject to screening before re-entry. Docked vessels can remain stationary.
(12:25 p.m.)
— Natalie Eilbert
Wisconsin delegate Eric Toney said political rhetoric has been toned down for convention
Eric Toney, the Fond du Lac County district attorney and a Wisconsin RNC delegate, said that, after Saturday's assassination attempt, there's been a marked shift in how people are talking at the convention.
"The rhetoric we're seeing appears to be changing and being toned down from some of the speeches that we saw last night, and it seems like that's probably going to continue throughout," he said. "I think President Trump has an incredible opportunity as a leader to continue to help change the tone and make sure we're dialed in on the issues, because that's what we're seeing voters really care about."
Toney, who spoke to reporters on the Wisconsin Media Row, said people have been so siloed when it comes to political parties in recent years, important conversations about how to change things haven't been happening.
"We might not agree, but we need to have those discussions, because that's what makes America so wonderful, that we can express those views," he said. "I think we have to be more open to that moving forward because we can't continue to see this political violence."
On the floor of the convention, Toney said, things have been a bit hectic for delegates, with long hours and plenty of heat outside. But getting to see former Trump was a great experience Monday night, even if he didn't speak to the crowd.
"You could just feel the energy in the room, and what really felt like one of those moments in history," he said.
(12:20 p.m.)
— Laura Schulte
'Why am I the only one here?' Protest zone in Haymarket Square empty Tuesday morning
Haymarket Square in the north protest zone was largely empty around 11 a.m. Monday, with one speaker, 82-year-old Florida resident Bob Kunst of Shalom International, monologuing on a microphone to a couple of reporters and about 13 event staffers, including one staffer sitting on a gray barricade, nodding off.
“Why am I the only one here?” asked Kunst, sitting and wearing a baseball cap and shirt in support of Israel.
A registered Democrat, Kunst largely shared criticisms of President Joe Biden’s policies and the mainstream media, and called for more grassroots protest movements to gather and voice their concerns.
“If we don’t fight for our liberty, we’re not going to make it,” he said.
He was followed after about 25 minutes by Lisa Bingenheimer, a speaker from local volunteer group Wisconsin 2A Team, which supports candidates who support the Second Amendment.
Bingenheimer said she was demonstrating Tuesday to promote freedom from government involvement, thanking the “nine people” within earshot who heard her speak for about 10 minutes, including her husband off to the side, who offered a round of applause.
By noon, the speakers were gone, leaving some staffers sitting around an empty stage.
(12:15 p.m.)
— Jolan Kruse and Piet Levy
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley says Day 1 of RNC was a great learning experience
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley said Day 1 of the RNC went smoothly and has been a great learning experience for the county, as well as an economic boost.
"I'm glad that so far all the vendors who are organizing the convention and convention-goers are enjoying themselves," he said. "I know that traffic has been a little bit crazy for many of our residential folks and folks coming in to volunteer, but it's been a great opportunity to showcase and spotlight Milwaukee."
Crowley said that, as a Democrat, he's been listening to what Republicans have to say.
"It gives me an opportunity to hear the message and what they're going to be bringing to the table as it relates to policies," he said. "I want to see what that stark contrast looks like moving forward, because I truly believe that Democrats not only have a vision to share, but we have a story to tell."
He also offered some advice to first-time visitors to Milwaukee.
"Well, first and foremost, you have to go to a beer garden. ... You have to go down and visit Bradford Beach," he said. "I know everyone knows us for our cheese curds and beer, but I think we're a pretty big foodie community and we have restaurants all over the city, in the county that everyone should absolutely go out to."
(11:55 a.m.)
— Laura Schulte
Journal Sentinel's Kristin Brey and JR Radcliffe talk about what happened, what's ahead at RNC
Vance photographed in downtown Milwaukee Tuesday morning
Vance was photographed walking through downtown Milwaukee near Water Street and Wisconsin Avenue on Tuesday morning with his family.
Republican vice presidential choice J.D. Vance walks through downtown Milwaukee with his family Tuesday morning pic.twitter.com/Y0FKIb1jkJ
— Glen Stubbe (@gspphoto) July 16, 2024
(11:20 a.m.)
— Alex Groth
Pro-Biden infrastructure signs dot RNC perimeter
It's an almost subtle sign against the more flashy red, white and blue in downtown Milwaukee, but it certainly stands out: "Project Funded by President Joe Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law."
The sign was sponsored by the City of Milwaukee, the U.S. Department of Transportation and Investing in America, the latter of which is a White House agenda that aims to mobilize "historic levels of private sector investments in the United States," according to the White House.
As of March, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has put $6.6 billion funds in Wisconsin, with more than 510 specific projects identified for funding, according to a White House press release.
Milwaukee received about $85 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation and $2.5 million from the Environmental Protection Agency. A portion of that funding has gone into the Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport Project, which aims to replace obsolete flat roof areas on airport buildings, making the buildings more resilient to weather and energy efficient.
The lion's share of the Department of Transportation's funding, at $80 million, will go to replacing the existing Interstate 39, 90 and 94 Wisconsin River bridge with two new bridge spans to improve the flow of traffic. Although this funding was awarded to Columbia County, north of Dane County, the route links Madison, Milwaukee and Chicago, serving as a key connector for these cities.
The Biden administration put another $36 million toward Milwaukee's 6th Street Complete Streets Project, which will reconnect communities along the more than 2½ miles of the 6th Street corridor.
According to a White House fact sheet from March, the project provides wider sidewalks for children walking to school, safe bike lanes for residents and visitors, dedicated bus lines for faster transit, new trees and green infrastructure to prevent sewage run-off into the Milwaukee River and Lake Michigan.
(10:40 a.m.)
— Natalie Eilbert
RNC brings some patriotic fashion choices
Outside the Hyatt Regency hotel, 333 W. Kilbourn Ave., on Tuesday morning, Jay Kremmerer posed for a photo. He said his wife dressed him and he liked “the spirit of it.”
Nearby, Duane Schwingel said he was dressed by the “spirit of Uncle Sam.”
He wore an ear bandage with the words “fight fight” on it. He said he wanted to sell bandages with that written on them, too.
(10:30 a.m.)
— David Clarey
Ex-Gov Tommy Thompson praises image of Trump after assassination attempt
Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson likened a photo of former President Donald Trump raising his fist after an assassination attempt Saturday to the iconic 1945 photo of Marines hoisting an American flag on top of Iwo Jima's Mount Suribachi, and said that image alone will win Trump the election.
"Nothing is going to derail the campaign," Thompson told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on the floor of the RNC on Monday.
(10:20 a.m.)
— Jessie Opoien
8 new 'Dark Brandon' billboards emerge around Milwaukee area
The Democratic National Committee is ramping up its campaign, this time with "Dark Brandon" billboards, a riff on the popular MAGA phrase "Let's Go Brandon!"
The satirical persona, which depicts a grinning President Joe Biden with red beams shooting from his eyes — think Cyclops from X-Men — can be seen at eight locations across Milwaukee:
North side of McKinley Blvd., 100 feet east of 7th Street, facing east
East side of Interstate 43, 215 feet south of North Avenue, facing north
East side of I-94, 800 feet south of I-794, facing south
South side of I-794, 250 feet east of 6th Street, facing west
West side of I-794, 50 feet south of Potter Avenue, facing north
East side of I-43, 270 feet north of Juneau Avenue, facing north
East side of I-94, 0.3 miles north of National Avenue, facing north
South side of I-94, 200 feet east of 20th Street, facing west
The billboards come out simultaneously to the DNC's first anti-Trump-Vance billboards since the former president announced his running mate Monday.
The Dark Brandon billboards play on some of the same hot-button issues as the Trump-Vance billboards: abortion, Social Security cuts, democracy and health care.
Abhi Rahman, DNC deputy communications director, said in a press release Tuesday morning that Trump, Vance and MAGA Republicans "kicked off their Project 2025 convention by highlighting unpopular and extreme policies that would rip fundamental rights away from women and leave working families behind."
Trump has made a point of disavowing Project 2025, a presidential transition project with conservative policy proposals written by the DC-based think-tank Heritage Foundation. Trump has repeatedly said he knows nothing about the plan.
"The DNC is highlighting Joe Biden’s winning platform and policies that are delivering for the American people," Rahman said in the Tuesday press release. "We’re making sure voters know it by bringing Dark Brandon to Milwaukee to outline a bold second term agenda that sharply contrasts with what Wisconsinites are seeing on the RNC stage this week — restoring Roe, lowering costs, protecting Social Security, and safeguarding our democracy.”
(9:45 a.m.)
— Natalie Eilbert
Teamsters president makes history at Monday night's session
Sean O’Brien, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, on Monday night said it was an “honor” to be the first president in the union’s history to address a Republican National Convention.
“Today, the Teamsters are here to say we are not beholden to anyone or any party,” O’Brien said. “I don’t care about getting criticized. It’s an honor to be the first Teamster in our 121-year history to address the Republican National Convention.”
O’Brien said he reached out to both the Republican National Convention and Democratic National Convention to speak. He thanked Trump for inviting him to speak at the convention. While he didn't offer an endorsement, O’Brien underscored that the union has supported GOP presidential candidates in the past, including Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and George H.W. Bush.
(9:30 a.m.)
— Rebecca Morin, USA TODAY
Late night shows quip about Milwaukee, RNC
Late night television took a few swipes at Milwaukee and more than a few at the RNC speakers Monday night.
Wisconsin and Milwaukee got the most airtime on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” which dedicated a live monologue to the opening day of the RNC. Right away, Milwaukee and its nicknames got Colbert’s first jabs, after he kindly described it as a “beautiful” place.
“Also known as Brew City, Beer City and ‘All of the other Cities are Worried about you’ City,” he said.
Colbert seemed to have genuine respect for some of the other names around the city, too, especially one in the RNC’s soft security zone.
“If you’re in Milwaukee, and you can’t get into the convention, there is an official convention watch party at a local pub called — and this is true — Drink Wisconsibly,” he said. “Lovely, bravo. Truly one of the best state- and warning-label-themed bars in the country.”
Colbert also made fun of the state law that doesn’t allow for guns to be banned in the RNC’s soft zone, but things like tennis balls are banned. He also poked at U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson’s remarks on Wisconsin’s very kind people as a reason to not be concerned about safety.
“Yes, Wisconsin only produces the nicest people like Tony Shalhoub, Chris Farley and Jeffrey Dahmer,” he said.
The last Wisconsin person to get teased was none other than Rev. James A. Roemke of Messiah Lutheran Church in Kenosha. Roemke gave his best impression of Trump, saying that everyone was “going to be so blessed” and waved his hands in a Trump-esque way.
“Oh my lord. It is a miracle," Colbert said. "Someone has a worse Trump impression than me.”
(9:15 a.m.)
— David Clarey
Democratic National Committee moves overnight to hit Trump-Vance ticket
The Democratic National Committee wasted no time responding to Trump selecting Vance as his running mate.
Sixteen billboards and a mobile billboard in the Milwaukee area sprouted overnight, in time for the RNC's second day. It's the first paid media campaign that takes shots at the Trump-Vance ticket.
The billboards strike a grim tone, veering on doomsday for democracy. The DNC took aim at the Trump-Vance stance on abortion, tax breaks for the wealthy and the Affordable Care Act.
Each billboard also references Project 2025, a proposed presidential transition project by the Heritage Foundation, a DC-based think tank. One billboard echoed the fear that Trump would use the election to transform the United States into a dictatorship: "Dictator on 'Day One,'" alluding to the nearly 900-page document.
Trump has attempted to distance himself from Project 2025.
Vance has taken a hardline stance on abortion, which he opposes even in cases of incest and rape. It's one of the key issues likely to dominate the campaign trail. When he ran for the Senate in 2022, his campaign website said simply "Ban Abortion" on the issues page. The DNC's billboard played up his two-word stance, with "Ban Abortion, Punish Women."
Despite his rags-to-riches story that his bestselling memoir, "Hillbilly Elegies," encapsulates, the DNC billboard said a Trump-Vance ticket means "Tax breaks for billionaires, higher costs for you," according to another billboard.
The other billboard says that a Trump-Vance ticket will destroy the Affordable Care Act and Social Security: "Terminate the ACA, Gut Social Security."
(9 a.m.)
— Natalie Eilbert
Milwaukee mayor seeks to reassure businesses seeing less-than-normal traffic during RNC
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson on Tuesday sought to reassure local businesses that saw less traffic than normal on the first day of the Republican National Convention.
Restaurants in the Third Ward reported normal or lower-than-normal diner levels Monday.
Johnson said he heard announcements within Fiserv Forum that Trump would be making an appearance in the convention hall. Then, Johnson said, Trump’s appearance was repeatedly delayed, which he thought prompted people not to leave the area to avoid missing Trump’s first public appearance since an assassination attempt on Saturday in Pennsylvania.
Instead of leaving the credentials-only “hard” perimeter, he thought convention attendees went to Convention Fest, a vendor fair at the RNC showcasing local Milwaukee businesses for RNC attendees.
Johnson expected business outside the hard perimeter to pick up Tuesday.
“From what I understand, that was probably more of an anomaly just because folks had to wait. They chose to wait,” Johnson said.
His comments were also political. Johnson, a Democrat and a vocal supporter of Biden’s re-election campaign, urged people to vote in November’s presidential election.
He was also critical of Trump and his choice of Vance to be his vice presidential running mate.
“There are a lot of questions and certainly a lot of concern,” Johnson said. “We now have a Republican candidate on the vice presidential side without any executive experience and a Republican presidential candidate whose executive experience we’ve already endured over the course of a term.”
Johnson called Trump's response to the COVID-19 "botched" and credited Biden's policies for helping turn around city crime during the pandemic.
Johnson pointed to the pairing of local policies and the American Rescue Plan Act as helping Milwaukee abate crime that had spiked during the pandemic. Recent crime data shows that, halfway through 2024, crime is above 2019 levels but made improvements from prior years.
"Working with President Biden's administration and our policies around accountability and prevention, for the last two years, all under President Biden's leadership we've seen crime trend down year over year in Milwaukee," Johnson said. "I don't think there's really much to touch in terms of public safety when you compare the policies."
(8:15 a.m.)
— Alison Dirr and David Clarey
Mayor says three arrested Monday, protest goes smoothly
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said three people were arrested near the Republican National Convention on Monday but lauded it as a “peaceful” start to the week.
Of the three arrests, one involved a repeat offender. That person attempted — for the second time — to climb a fence into a restricted area, Johnson said. A second arrest occurred when someone blocked traffic in the evening and didn't follow police orders to move.
Johnson said the third arrest occurred at the end of the Coalition to March on the RNC demonstration. The person was arrested for disorderly conduct, the mayor said.
The Journal Sentinel previously reported that online video showed a man wearing a Chicago Bears shirt was seen in handcuffs following the parade. Authorities said the man took signs from protesters and attempted to knock over a booth, causing a disturbance to protesters who just finished a march that ended at Red Arrow Park, at 920 N. Water St., around 3:20 p.m.
Overall, Johnson said the march and day went peacefully, without major incident. No one was hurt and there wasn't significant property damage involved with the march.
“By most important measures, things are going pretty well,” he said. “Overall, it was a calm day, it was a peaceful day.”
(8 a.m.)
— David Clarey
Artist, Trump fan will display 24K gold-plated MAGA hat at RNC
Though plenty of MAGA hats are sure to be spotted at the convention, one is set to stand out.
A 24K gold-plated bronze replica of the MAGA hat will be on display today through Thursday at the convention. Artist XVALA — a contemporary artist known for using controversial celebrity images and artifacts of the internet age in his work — will be showcasing the gold hat.
In a press release, XVALA said the hat aims to represent the legacy of Make America Great Again.
"Trump will usher in a new golden age for America. MAGA is the gold ticket to success for America," the release said.
The hat is a 3D-printed replica of a real MAGA hat, signed by Trump. On his website, XVALA wrote that the hat is intended as a response to Maurizio Cattelan's "America," a fully functioning toilet made from 18-karat solid gold.
"XVALA's MAGA hat, while impractical for everyday use, remains technically functional as it is a 1:1 replica of the original," the website read. "But unlike Cattelan, the hat exhorts us to make America great, not to disparage it as a waste receptacle."
After the convention, the hat will be auctioned off at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, on Friday. The hat is listed for $15,000 on XVALA's website.
(7:45 a.m.)
— Kathryn Muchnick
New York artist, activist makes a virtual point
New York-based artist and political activist Norm Magnusson has created augmented reality art that shows historical markers on the plaza of Fiserv Forum with pointed statements.
The works aren't visible — they can only be seen through the Scavengar – easy AR mobile app.
The blue and gold markers include political messages about Project 2025 class inequality, former presidents’ roles and more.
One of the piece's messages reads: “On this site stood every single U.S. President since 1980. Each oversaw the continued redistribution of wealth from lower and middle classes to the richest 1%.”
The plaques are similar to others Magnusson made in the early 2000s and fit in the vein of his other work. On his artist website, he breaks down work critical of former President George W. Bush and his administration and other political topics.
Magnusson’s work has appeared in The Museum of Modern Art, the Museum of the City of New York and others. He's known for his funism artwork, a style described as fun to look at and think about, while being intellectually engaging without being elitist.
He's from Illinois, according to a story on his work from The Villager, a New York publication.
(7:30 a.m.)
— David Clarey
RNC weather: Temperatures, humidity will start to fall after overnight showers
After overnight rains, Monday's hot temperatures should cool off.
Milwaukee is expected to see a high of 82, according to the National Weather Service. Though the humidity shouldn't be as extreme as yesterday, it might still feel "a touch muggy" as a cold front continues to move through the area, meteorologist Andrew Quigley said.
Overnight, Milwaukee received .17 inches of rain, with a thunder shower over downtown between 4:30 and 5 a.m.
Southern Wisconsin had more severe weather overnight, with reports of damaging winds and large hail along the state line with Illinois. The NWS has received reports of tree damage affiliated with straight-line winds.
No additional severe weather is forecasted for Tuesday, though Quigley said there's potential for an isolated shower in the afternoon.
Drier and less humid air is expected for the rest of the RNC, with temperatures in the mid-70s from Wednesday to Friday.
"Improvement is on the way," Quigley said.
(7:15 a.m.)
— Kathryn Muchnick
What time is the RNC? Here's the Republican National Convention schedule, events for Tuesday
The official session of the convention starts at 5 p.m. and runs until 10 p.m.
Other events begin as early as 8 a.m., such as state delegation breakfasts. Other events include discussion panels, screenings of "Reagan," the 2024 Dennis Quaid-led biopic of the former president, and the BBQ Bikes & Blues Western States event at the Harley Davidson Museum.
Many events require tickets or registration and more information can be found here.
The convention isn't open to the general public, but according to an RNC spokesperson, you can stream it on YouTube, X, Facebook Live, Rumble, Amazon Prime, Twitch and Direct TV. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel will also be streaming RNC events, as will the City Channel.
The official convention watch party takes place each day at the Drink Wisconsinbly Pub, 320 W. Highland Ave., across from Fiserv Forum.
(7 a.m.)
— Kelly Meyerhofer
RNC band had the Fiserv Forum crowd rocking Monday
OK, let's talk about the band, because everyone else seemed to be Monday.
The Nashville band Sixwire was in the spotlight during the RNC's first day at Fiserv Forum. And when the teleprompter experienced a malfunction, it got to show off more of its set.
But that was OK for many, since people were loving the country music band, which played songs from the Foo Fighters, Cheap Trick, the Doobie Brothers and more.
(6:45 a.m.)
— Christopher Kuhagen
What road closures and parking restrictions will be in place during the RNC?
Numerous downtown Milwaukee streets will be closed in downtown Milwaukee in and around the security perimeter until Friday at about 1 a.m.:
West Wisconsin Avenue closed between Old World 3rd / Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and James Lovell Street
West Wells Street closed between Old World 3rd / Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and James Lovell Street
West Kilbourn Avenue closed between Old World 3rd / Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and North 8th Street
Kilbourn Avenue exit tunnel closed from Interstate 43
Kilbourn Avenue entrance tunnel closed to I-43
West State Street closed between North 8th Street and Old World 3rd / Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
West Juneau Avenue closed between North 8th Street and Old World 3rd / Martin Luther King Jr. Drive (Moderne Condo garage will be accessible to residents)
Northbound I-43 offramp closed at eastbound and westbound Fond du Lac Avenue
West Fond du Lac Avenue, West McKinley Avenue and East Knapp Street closed between I-43 and North Water Street
Old World 3rd / Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, no northbound traffic past West Juneau Avenue (the Aloft Hotel will be accessible to guests)
Old World 3rd / Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, no southbound traffic past West McKinley Avenue
North Vel R. Phillips Avenue closed between West Michigan Street and West McKinley Avenue (the parking garage entrance on North Vel R. Phillips Avenue immediately south of West Michigan Street will be accessible to vehicles)
North 6th Street closed between West Michigan Street and West McKinley Avenue (the 5th Street Parking Garage will be accessible to residents of the 550 Ultra Lofts Building and guests of the Trade Hotel via 6th Street)
North James Lovell Street closed between West Wells Street and West Juneau Avenue
Southbound I-43 ramp closed from Fond du Lac Avenue
Eastbound I-794 ramp closed from North James Lovell Street
Also, the westbound I-794 ramp to the northbound I-43 ramp will have intermittent closures as needed for bus traffic.
Widespread street parking restrictions will also be in effect until Sunday.
(6:30 a.m.)
— Claire Reid
When does the RNC end?
The convention runs through Thursday, July 18.
(6:15 a.m.)
How to watch the RNC convention
The convention venues are closed to all but delegates, politicians, media members and volunteers. However, there are plenty of ways to watch the RNC. Numerous platforms will stream the convention, including the Journal Sentinel. Fox News Media will also have coverage across all of its platforms.
— Hope Karnopp
(6 a.m.)
What's the RNC 2024 convention schedule?
Here's the master schedule of events for the Republican National Convention.
The convention is closed to all but delegates, politicians, media members and volunteers.
Throughout the week, guests are invited to attend official sessions at the convention venues; affinity group receptions; lectures and presentations; and film screenings.
Many events require tickets or registration; be sure to consult the master calendar for information on how to register.
The official convention watch party takes place each day at the Drink Wisconsinbly Pub, 320 W. Highland Ave., across from Fiserv Forum.
(5:45 a.m.)
— Claire Reid
What's the RNC convention location?
Fiserv Forum, home of the Milwaukee Bucks, is the main venue for the RNC. That's also where the first Republican debate was held in August. Thousands of delegates will gather there to hear the big speeches.
The nearby University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panther Arena and the Baird Center will also be used as spaces for the event.
Here's more about each venue:
(5:30 a.m.)
— Hope Karnopp
Can I get tickets to the Republican National Convention?
Unless you're a delegate, politician, media member or volunteer, you won't be able to attend the RNC. Those attendees already have credentials to get inside the convention venues.
In other words, you can't buy a ticket to get into the convention if you're a member of the public.
But there are other RNC-related events that are open to the public. And, there are plenty of ways to watch the RNC. Numerous platforms will stream the convention, including the Journal Sentinel. Fox News Media will also have coverage across all of its platforms.
(5:15 a.m.)
— Hope Karnopp
When is the Democratic National Convention, or DNC, in 2024?
The Democratic National Convention will be held in Chicago — less than 100 miles south of the RNC — from Aug. 19 to Aug. 22.
(5 a.m.)
— Hope Karnopp
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: RNC 2024 convention Day 2 review in Milwaukee: Trump returns
