WASHINTON, DC — The journey to Washington DC to see Donald Trump take the oath of office as the country's 47th president includes many from Wisconsin.
Chief Political Reporter Charles Benson is in DC for Monday's inauguration where some Wisconsinites' celebrations have already begun.
Wisconsinites tied to their community:
Dan and Liz Nottling hopped in the car and took a road trip to Washington DC for a chance to view the Presidential Inauguration in person because they believe sometimes you just have to jump at an opportunity.
"Everybody is like this is such a great experience and a once-in-a-lifetime experience," said Liz. "When I told my boss, I said: 'I'm taking vacation, I'm going to the inauguration.'"
Free tickets to Inauguration Day events are available by request through members of Congress — so the Nottlings waited weeks to find out they would be at the swearing-in ceremony.
"He's been the president before but It's not something that a lot of people get to witness," said Dan. It's going to be amazing."
Dan is a local fire department lieutenant, and Liz works in executive development.
Both see the trip as a chance to be in the nation's capital for an event that has only happened 60 times in our nearly 250 years of history.
"It's just being a part of the Democratic process," said Liz. "We both serve as leaders, and we take part in our community and see it from the ground level. What better way to see it at the top, than being at an inauguration? So, I think that was just a part of what really motivated me."
Check out: 'Once in a lifetime experience': Wisconsinites travel to Trump's inauguration
The youthful voter:
From the moment Brett Galaszewski was old enough to vote, Donald Trump was his guy.
"He's talking like my favorite uncle on Thanksgiving, said Galaszewski and that was really cool to me to see someone who wasn't afraid to stand up for my values as a young conservative."
He's now had the chance to vote three times for Trump and was a state delegate at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
"I see it as being one big Conservative Party, one conservative celebration of all of our collective efforts," said Galaszewski. "This was an all-hands-on-deck victory, and in particular, the hard work and sweat equity that we put forth here in Wisconsin."
Galaszewski helped Trump's Wisconsin win with his work at Turning Point Action — a growing grassroots activism organization engaged in getting Gen Z (18 -29-year-olds) to vote and support conservative values.
He believes Trump's victory — which seemed all but impossible four years ago — sends a strong message in 2025.
"I think it was a statement, and it showed the rest of the world — who was on watch — to see what the US was going to do," he said. "I mean, I hope I don't come across as over-exaggerating, but I truly think that we saved Western civilization, getting Trump across the finish line. It was a referendum on the last four years.”
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