Following a decisive re-election victory, the talk of Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker launching a 2016 presidential campaign has only amplified. Walker, and some of his closest aides, are now revealing the plan in motion to launch a presidential campaign sometime in July of 2015.
Report from Politico:
In interviews this week, Walker and his top political advisers provided the fullest account yet of his plans for the likely rollout of a national campaign. The 47-year-old Republican intends to use an upcoming legislative session in Wisconsin to push an ambitious agenda that could, in combination with his triumphs over Big Labor, bolster his standing with Republican primary voters: repealing unpopular Common Core standards, requiring drug tests for welfare beneficiaries and cutting property taxes.
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They said it would be headquartered near the state capital of Madison. And Walker has asked a cadre of aides from his reelection campaign to stay on board for a potential 2016 bid, including senior advisers Keith Gilkes, Stephan Thompson and R.J. Johnson.
Walker is crafting a budget that he intends to be a blueprint for conservative governance. He will unveil it in late January, and the final version would go into effect on July 1 — after a spring legislative session.
“Any (presidential decision) that would come officially would have to come after that,” Walker said. “That could be midsummer. I want to fulfill those obviously important responsibilities.” [Emphasis added]
“Rick Perry got in too late” in the 2012 election cycle, a senior Walker adviser added. “Tim Pawlenty got in too early. So it’s all about figuring out what’s just right.”
Walker intends to use the next legislative session in Madison to push his agenda and springboard into the 2016 campaign, likely with an announcement that will lag behind many of his peers. This will give Walker time to assess the field and decide if there is a niche he can fill. If the early field stumbles, Walker will be primed to launch in July of next year and bring his strong record in the Badger State with him.
