Election Day is months away but there's already an intense effort underway to win your vote. It's not in the campaign TV ads or presidential candidates' visits.
In a Lighthouse report, Charles Benson looks at the behind-the-scenes battle for Walworth County as Democrats step up their challenge in a county Republicans have a long record of winning.
Ketchpaw's has been in downtown Elkhorn for 65 years.
"It's still an old-school barber shop", said Megan VanDyke.
It can be hard to talk about politics here or anywhere these days because the country is so divided.
"There's been a lot of conversations in these walls for many years,” said Van Dyke.
She hears a variety of conversations from customers like Charlene Zubrod.
The longtime resident shared a few thoughts about the 2024 presidential race.
"My big issue is the border," said Zebrod. "And I'm retired, and we don't have enough money."
But just down the street, presidential politics plays out every day inside the Democrat's Walworth County office.
"Reproductive freedoms running really high," said Walworth County Democratic Chair Anita Loch.
She hears from local voters about issues at community engagement events all the time.
Democrats have expanded their campaign office footprint here for the 2024 election. It's one of 48 campaign offices Democrats say they have in the state with 100 plus staff.
Loch knows the challenges for Democrats in Walworth County.
"Do you feel like the Bears team in Packers Country,” asked Charles Benson.
"We used to, but we have gotten out there and organized," said Loch. "We have a wonderful volunteer organization."
Retired educator Ellen Holly is behind the effort to build the voter and volunteer base for Joe Biden.
"Wow, we've come a long way," Holly said during an impromptu meeting with staffers.
Flipping Walworth from a red to blue county is a tall task - but finding voters who have maybe given up on voting or need to be registered to vote can have benefits in a closely competitive state.
"We are going to get out the vote. We are going to engage voters who maybe haven't voted in the last few elections," said Holly.
So just how red is Walworth County? Donald Trump easily won here in 2016 and 2020 by an average of nearly 20 points.
Chris Goebel has been the Republican Walworth County chair for a dozen years.
The campaign office here is one of 33 Republicans who say they have or will soon open in the state.
Goebel was asked a similar question about the rivalry between Democrats and Republicans in the largely rural county.
"Does it feel like Election Day is a Packers-Bears game," asked Benson.
"That's an interesting analogy," said Goebel.
Goebel knows the stakes are much higher and he is not conceding any turf in Walworth County.
His team is already reaching out to voters at Flag Day, Elkhorn on the Square, or other summertime events.
"We do a variety of things," said Goebel.
He is looking to win and grow his margin of victory for Donald Trump.
Benson asked: "Are you keeping an eye on Democrats because they are keeping an eye on you?"
"Yes, we try to keep an eye on what's behind us. You're silly if you don't,” said Goebel. "But I try to keep more of my focus on moving forward."
For now, it's a numbers game. The Biden-Harris team along with state Democrats have 48 campaign offices in 43 counties. 32 are in counties won by Donald Trump.
State Republicans say they are also competing in Democratic strongholds like Milwaukee and Dane counties with multiple campaign offices for Trump and GOP candidates.
President Biden won 14 Wisconsin counties in 2020.
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