fbpx
Connect with us

Yesterday in La Crosse

Donald Trump and his running mate both came to town, 4 summers ago

Published

on

During the last presidential campaign, in August of 2016, Indiana Governor Mike Pence campaigned at UW-La Crosse as the new Republican vice presidential nominee.  Pence led a mid-afternoon rally at the Cartwright Center, saying that Hillary Clinton would continue policies that have run the U-S into an “economic ditch.”  He also claimed that the media were biased in favor of Clinton, suggesting it was as if the Packers played every football game on the road in front of hostile refs who favored their opponents.    

Pence was followed to La Crosse the next week by Trump himself.  The candidate arrived at the Charmant Hotel on the night of August 15th, and stayed there until about noon the next day, when he traveled to the Cargill Room at LHI to speak at a local fund-raiser.  Guests attending the luncheon were asked to donate at least $2700 to the campaign.  It was Trump’s second visit to La Crosse during the year, following an April speech at the La Crosse Center.  By August, Trump was 15 points behind Clinton in Wisconsin…but in November, he won the state by 23,000 votes, although Clinton took La Crosse County.  

The Trump and Pence visits to La Crosse occurred during the Summer Olympics, being staged in Rio.  And for most of the summer, the #1 song on the radio was “One Dance” by Drake, four years ago, 2016…yesterday in La Crosse. 

A native of Prairie du Chien, Brad graduated from UW - La Crosse and has worked in radio news for more than 30 years, mostly in the La Crosse area. He regularly covers local courts and city and county government. Brad produces the features "Yesterday in La Crosse" and "What's Buried on Brad's Desk." He also writes the website "Triviazoids," which finds odd connections between events that happen on a certain date, and he writes and performs with the local comedy group Heart of La Crosse. Brad been featured on several national TV programs because of his memory skills.