Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) defended the assertion in his new book that the next nominee for the GOP presidential ticket has to be a governor, arguing a successful candidate needs to prove on an executive level that he or she is a reformer.
Walker said on CBS that members of Congress whose names have been floated as 2016 hopefuls are “all great people; in fact, if there’s a fan club for Paul Ryan, I would be the president of that.”
But, he added, “overall, people in America, I think, are frustrated with everyone in Washington, not just Republicans, not just Democrats, with — with the lack of getting things done.”
“And in the book, I contrast the fact that in the states where the optimism is, and you even mentioned the numbers in the presidential elections. In 30 states in America, after last November’s presidential election, there are now 30 states with Republican governors, almost as many states with Republican legislated majorities. Why?” Walker said.
“…A proven successful reformer in the states, I think, would go a long way, not just towards winning, but more importantly, towards governing.”
Walker spent yesterday with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie at the Giants-Packers game.
“I think any of the 30 Republican governors would be a marked improvement over this president,” Walker demurred when asked if Christie was the golden ticket to the White House. “…In the end, you look at the difference out there, people see governors as being more optimistic, more relevant, more courageous. And in fact, in all of those states we just talked about in the presidential election, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Virginia, all those states are states — were battle ground states, and yet, Republicans are governors in those states.”
A Democrat, Terry McAuliffe, takes office in January in Virginia.
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