It’s no surprise Wisconsin voters are divided over President Trump’s first 44 days in the White House. He won the battleground state by less than 1%.
TMJ4’s Chief Political Reporter Charles Benson wanted to find out what voters like or loathe about Donald Trump ahead of Tuesday night’s speech to Congress and the nation.
Conor and Lisa Williams are Democrats. They live in Wauwatosa and worry about the impact of Trump’s rapid executive orders and the power he has given Elon Musk. Conor is an economist, and Lisa leads a progressive group called PerSisters.
Watch: Wauwatosa couple expresses concern over Trump's presidency
Ray and Marian Nowak live in Slinger. The Republicans are retired from Miller Brewing. They see Trump’s efforts on closing the border or ending the war in Ukraine as wins, and they see Elon Musk as Trump’s “right-hand man.”
Both couples are engaged in the political process and are closely following President Trump’s agenda.
When playing Scrabble, Lisa and Conor Williams are competitive. But when it comes to politics, the Wauwatosa couple shares similar views regarding President Donald Trump.
Watch: Couple from Washington County supports Trump's aggressive agenda
"I’m an economist by training, and business and the economy place a value on stability. I think the chaos ensuing from the White House will not be good for us, either short-term or long-term," said Conor Williams.
Neither Lisa nor Conor voted for Trump, nor did two-thirds of their neighbors in this once-reliable Republican-leaning Milwaukee suburb.
Lisa started a progressive group for women called PerSisters during President Trump’s first term in office. She is surprised by the speed of changes outlined in the conservative roadmap Project 2025.
"The speed at which it’s being carried out, I guess, is the biggest shock," said Lisa.
This sentiment is also echoed by Democrats at Republican town halls.
They are particularly concerned about Elon Musk’s actions as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under Trump’s administration and how those moves may affect the economy.
Lisa agrees that the country’s rising debt of $36 trillion needs to be addressed and that budget cuts are necessary, but she believes these cuts should be paired with tax breaks that support the middle class. "To extend tax cuts for the wealthiest or to increase their tax cuts doesn’t make sense to me, and it will add enormously to our national debt," she said.
Conor acknowledges Musk’s business acumen but is concerned about the negative perception of federal employees and the potential consequences of their dismissal.
"I think Elon is an excellent businessman. The success of Tesla and SpaceX is unprecedented, but he’s mismatched for the role he has in trying to cut costs in the federal government at the moment," said Conor. "The way that Elon Musk is firing people from the federal government will only lead to chaos. It’s already bringing chaos to us."
As they follow fast-moving events in Washington, Lisa and Conor are focused on how Democrats will respond. They appreciate Congressman Gwen Moore’s efforts to push back and speak out.
"I think the Democratic leadership needs to be stronger and louder," said Lisa. "Like many of us, I assume they are trying to keep up to speed with what is happening on a daily basis."
Ray Nowak was captivated when Donald Trump announced his presidential candidacy in 2015, as for the first time, he found someone he wanted to vote for. When asked what he appreciates about Trump’s first few weeks in office, he responds with one word: "Everything."
Now that Trump has won a second term, the retired Miller Brewing production worker is enthusiastic about the future. "He started the engine, and it’s still going."
Marian, Ray’s wife, shares his excitement about Trump’s early actions, particularly the dramatic drop in illegal border crossings since Trump took office. "He’s keeping his word. How can you not like that?" said Marian.
The Nowaks also admire Elon Musk and his push to reduce costs and the federal workforce. Republicans cheer this move, while Democrats have raised concerns about oversight regarding any changes made by DOGE. The nation is grappling with a $36 trillion debt, and there are no signs of slowing.
"If Trump wants him, then you know, because he knows what he’s doing," Marian stated. "Trump knows what Elon’s doing. It’s not like Elon’s going out and doing all this stuff on his own. Trump knows what he’s doing."
The Nowaks are not shy about their support for Trump. A sign in their front yard has been there for years, although the city has recently requested that they take it down, citing a rule against any signs being displayed year-round on personal property.
Their home in Slinger is situated in a solid-red Washington County, where 67% of voters helped Trump narrowly win Wisconsin by less than 1%. "The president’s in charge, and Elon is just like his right-hand man, helping out," said Ray. "He’s investigating where all this money is going."
The Nowaks believe too much money is going to support Ukraine in a war that Russia started. Trump estimates the U.S. cost at $350 billion over three years, but independent estimates suggest congressional bipartisan funding is about one-third of that amount—still significant, at billions of dollars.
"I love what he’s doing with Ukraine—keeping the money back home," Marian remarked. "I don’t understand why we have to pay for their government’s official pensions and all of that. I like his stance on no wars."
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