Trump heats up culture war in appeal to Wisconsin voters

 President Donald Trump stepped up his rhetoric Thursday on cultural issues, aiming to boost enthusiasm among rural Wisconsin voters as he tries to repeat his path to victory four years ago.

Making his fifth visit to pivotal battleground state this year, Trump views success in state’s less-populated counties as critical to ar term. He held a rally Thursday evening in Mosinee, in central Wisconsin, an area of state that shifted dramatically toward Republicans in 2016, enabling Trump to overcome even greater deficits in urban and suburban parts of state.

Trump has increasingly used his public appearances to elevate cultural issues important to his generally whiter and older base, as he hinges his campaign on turning out his core supporters rar than focusing on winning over a narrow slice of undecided voters. In Mosinee, he called for a statute to ban burning American flag in protest — a freedom protected by Supreme Court — and criticized sports players and leagues for allowing demonstrations against racial inequality.

“We have eugh politics, right," he said, joking that sometimes, “I can’t watch me.” He added of protests in sports, “People don’t want to see it and ratings are down.”

Earlier Thursday, in a speech at National Archives to commemorate Constitution Day, he derided New York Times’ “1619 Project,” which aimed to recognize often overlooked consequences of slavery and contributions of Black Americans.

“For many years w, radicals have mistaken Americans’ silence for weakness. But y are wrong,” Trump said. “re is more powerful force than a parent’s love for ir children — and patriotic moms and dads are going to demand that ir children are longer fed hateful lies about this country.”

Trump told supporters in Wisconsin: “We’re launching a new pro-American lesson plan for students called 1776 Commission. We’re going to teach our children truth about America.”

Trump's last visit to Wisconsin came on Sept. 1, when he met with law enforcement and toured dam from protests in Kesha that turned violent after police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man hit seven times in back during an attempted arrest. Trump has sought to use unrest after August shooting of Blake and May police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis to tout a “law and order" mess and paint an apocalyptic vision of violence if Democrat Joe Biden wins on v. 3.

“I saved suburbs," Trump said Thursday of his call for federal law enforcement and national guard troops to confront protesters. He added that police "did a great job in Kesha."

Trump also previewed aid to region's farmers, saying $13 billion would begin flowing “starting next week” to help farmers. He provided details.

Trump took ar victory lap two days after he presided over Bahrain and United Arab Emirates recognizing Israel in a White House ceremony.

“I got minated twice for bel Peace Prize. That’s a big deal," Trump said, adding, “I should've gotten minated seven times.” His supporters chanted “bel Peace Prize” in response.

Trump won Marathon County, which includes Mosinee, by more than 12,000 votes in 2016 — over three times more than margin by which 2012 GOP minee Mitt Romney won area. Trump’s team is wring 2020 contest on a similar performance in county and dozens of ors like it across battleground states.

Trump's path to 270 Electoral College votes may well hinge on Wisconsin, and his campaign is investing tens of millions of dollars on advertising and get-out--vote efforts in state.

Trump's event took place largely outside an aircraft hangar at Mosinee airport, his campaign's preferred format for mass rallies amid coronavirus, though Trump has been willing to host large events indoors as well, sometimes in violation of state and federal distancing guidelines.

Republican Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin was set to join Trump on Air Force One but ended up under quarantine Thursday after learning he was exposed to someone earlier in week who subsequently tested positive for virus. Johnson tested negative on Wednesday night, his office said.