At Madison Stop, Tim Kaine Tells Democrats ‘You Can’t Take Anything For Granted’

Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine on Tuesday encouraged supporters in Madison to consider the Democratic ticket the “underdog,” despite positive poll numbers.

In his nearly hour-long remarks, the Virginia U.S. senator focused on attacking GOP nominee Donald Trump and calling on supporters to vote early.

“I’m just here to tell you, you can’t take anything for granted,” Kaine said. “You cannot take anything for granted, because polls can be wrong. You can’t take anything for granted, because it’s been a season of surprises.”

Hillary Clinton has consistently led Trump in polls of Wisconsin voters. The latest poll from Marquette University had the Democratic nominee leading by 7 percentage points among likely voters.

Kaine has only made a handful of appearances in Wisconsin during the campaign, including a stop earlier Tuesday at Lawrence University in Appleton.

Clinton has not made a campaign appearance in Wisconsin since coming in second in its April Democratic presidential primary. Kaine, former president Bill Clinton, Sen. Bernie Sanders and Chelsea Clinton have campaigned in the state on her behalf.

Chelsea is scheduled to appear Wednesday in Eau Claire and Oshkosh and Thursday in Milwaukee.

Kaine told the crowd of about 700 supporters that Wisconsin is “really important” at this stage in the election.

“By the end of the campaign, with a week or 10 days to go, it whittles down to about six or seven states where all the action is,” Kaine said. “You guys are one of the six or seven. Do you feel the pressure on your shoulders? I’m trying to up the pressure here.”

The vice presidential nominee spent a large portion of his speech denouncing Trump’s comments about minority communities and women.

“Donald Trump is not a person who can look at a woman and see an equal,” Kaine said. “Do we make history by electing the first woman president of the United States or do we elect somebody who cannot see a woman as an equal?”

Trump campaigned Tuesday night in Eau Claire.