Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said Sunday that despite his high ranking in the polls, he still views former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush as the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination.
“Governor Bush is still probably up there — up front — just because he’s going to have more money than just about all of us combined, but we’re feeling good,” Mr. Walker said on ABC’s “This Week.”
Neither Mr. Walker nor Mr. Bush have made official their White House bid but both are expected to make announcements later this month and both are riding high in the polls. A recent Fox News poll showed Mr. Walker and Mr. Bush tied at the front of the pack with 12 percent support.
Still, Mr. Walker refrained form criticizing Mr. Bush in the same way he has criticized Democratic front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Mr. Walker has assailed Mrs. Clinton for being an anointed candidate, saying the Americans don’t want a political dynasty or monarchy — a description that easily applies to Mr. Bush.
Pressed to address Mr. Bush’s political pedigree, Mr. Walker said: “I hope people, I hope Republicans, I hope independents and even some discerning Democrats will see we’re striking a stark contrast with Hillary Clinton.”
He said that Mrs. Clinton’s standing as the odds-on favorite to win her party’s nomination requires that Republicans keep their sights trained on her.
“People want to see how you’re going to step up and contrast yourself with Hillary Clinton,” said Mr. Walker. “And the fact that she’s not going through a primary — or at least a real primary — she’s not going to be highly contested out there, I think is a disadvantage not just for the Democrats, it’s a disadvantage for the American people.”
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.
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