Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin cast himself Saturday as a conservative warrior who has overcome death threats, and big government special interest groups, to pass “commonsense conservative reforms” that has bettered the lives of the people living in his state.
Fresh off his third successful campaign in four years, Mr. Walker said his electoral wins send a clear message to Republican across the country that voters will reward conservative leaders.
“We weren’t afraid to go big and to go bold, not only for my sons, but for their generation and for countless generation yet to be born,” Mr Walker said. “Maybe that is why I have won the race for governor three times in the last four years. Three times, mind you, in a state that hasn’t gone Republican for president since I was in high school 30 years go. How about that?”
“If you get the job done, the voters will stand up with you,” Mr. Walker said.
Mr. Walker is widely viewed as one of the few candidates in the emerging 2016 presidential field that could appeal to the GOP establishment as well as grassroots activists, including 1,200 that traveled here for the Iowa Freedom Summit, hosted by Rep. Steve King and Citizens United.
On Saturday, Mr. Walker vowed to return to Iowa “many more times” in the future — the latest signal that he is moving closer to running for the 2016 GOP nomination.
“With your help I have no doubt that we can move this country forward,” he said. “We can have our own American revival.”
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The Des Moines Register reported on Friday that Mr. Walker has hired David Polyansky as a senior adviser to a possible bid. Earlier this month, he
tapped for Republican National Committee political director Rick Wiley to put together a political organization.
Mr. Walker grabbed national attention in 2011 by taking on public employee unions and pushing through legislation to revamp costly collective bargain over pensions and health care.
He went on to survive a recall election, making him the first governor to do so in U.S. history.
Mr. Walker, who is the son of a Baptist minister, also touted how he signed legislation enacting tighter voter ID requirements, approved a budget that stripped funding for Planned Parenthood and signed a concealed weapons bill into law.
The son of a Baptist minister, Mr. Walker also reminded the crowd that he is a man of faith, thanking them for their prayers during the fight against the unions, saying it helped him deal during the “dark days” when he faced death threats against him and his family.
“Someone literally sent me a threat that said they were going to gut my wife like a deer,” Mr. Walker said.
The victory over the unions won him deep reservoirs of goodwill with conservatives, and helped him develop a nationwide fundraising network that could help him if he chooses to run for president.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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