Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin went to bat for New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez, praising her as a conservative reformer a day after Donald Trump panned her record in her political backyard.
Mr. Walker, vice chairman of the Republican Governors Association (RGA), released a statement Wednesday night complimenting Mrs. Martinez, the Republican Party’s most prominent female Hispanic officeholder and chairwoman of the RGA, for the work she has done revising New Mexico’s tax code, strengthening the local economy and standing up to the overreach of the federal government.
“Governor Susana Martinez has effectively driven conservative reforms in a blue state won twice by President Obama, while winning re-election by the largest margin by a Republican in state history,” Mr. Walker said. “Governor Martinez also has a dedicated record of helping elect conservative governors across the country, and as RGA Chair this year, she is leading the charge in several states that are in dire need of real leadership, just like she has provided in New Mexico.”
The statement was a clear rebuttal to the criticism Mr. Trump lobbed at Mrs. Martinez, who has yet to back the presumptive nominee, at a rally this week in Albuquerque, where he said she was not getting the job done.
“We have to get your governor and get going,” Mr. Trump said. “She’s got to do a better job, O.K.? Your governor has got to do a better job.”
Mrs. Martinez’s office said the governor would not be “bullied” into backing Mr. Trump.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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