Posted on 02/04/2015 10:08:25 AM PST by GulliverSwift
Is a conservative schism forming over support for Scott Walker’s probable presidential candidacy?
Thanks to outspoken recent support from Rush Limbaugh, the Wisconsin governor has seen his potential nomination prospects soar as conservatives look for a strong alternative to the more moderate Jeb Bush.
That led to Beltway chatter about Walker’s new ascendancy and a Drudge Report poll showing him trouncing all others. Forty-four percent of Drudge readers who participated backed him, followed by 13% for Senator Ted Cruz, 12% for Senator Rand Paul and just four percent for Bush. Nearly 450,000 voted.
Politico has continued to track Rush’s sustained praise for Walker, which seems slightly more overt than the talk titan normally offers a GOP contender this early in the nomination process. During Tuesday’s show, Limbaugh doubled-down, calling him “gutsy” and thanking him “for standing up to these people [the left].”
But fellow conservative talker Mark Levin seems not to be on board the bandwagon and has become increasingly outspoken on the matter. Though the syndicated host is adamant that he’s supported the governor through many past battles, he’s unsure that Walker’s stance on illegal immigration is sufficiently conservative. “What’s all of this Scott Walker stuff all of the sudden?” he asked listeners during a recent monologue.
(Excerpt) Read more at mediaequalizer.com ...
I don’t see this as a schism at all. Rush is rightly pointing out that Walker has shown the GOP how to win, and in a blue state at that. Levin is rightly pointing out that Walker, at least so far, looks pretty unreliable on immigration. Immigration is not an issue that Walker has directly faced as a governor, at least not in any significant way. This will play out over the next few months. Walker either gets right on immigration, or he loses conservative support.
Online polls like the Drudge poll are completely worthless.
No.
We can have a healthy discussion without it turning into a schism. Whomever conservatives consider to be second best, is much better than the #3 choice.
Rush is at his worst when he says or does something stupid or something selling out, because once it gets noticed his ego makes him double down on the stupidity or the selling out.
Walker is grotesquely not only pro-amnesty, but also pro-virtual open borders. His “conservative” presidency would be the last conservative presidency this country ever saw.
Mark Levin said it is too early to throw support behind anyone and I agree. We have two years of polls. They mean NADA!
Rush has been pom pom’ing Walker ever since the Iowa Summit.
This is hugely impactful at this point, and likely tied to the larger GOPe pro-Walker orchestration.
Walker is far worse than unreliable on immigration, he is radically pro-illegals and pro-open immigration.
Scoot Walker has turned his states economy around in record time.
Scott Walker is improving the eduction of children and improved the working environment and take home pay for teachers in his state by taking on the teachers unions.
Scott Walker is taking on the Public Employee unions and putting an end to their feather bedding, graft and corruption.
Nobody has a better record to run on, not even Jeb Bush
ohhhh nooooo,
This can’t be.
The main stream media insists f-ing RINO Jeb is the leading candidate.
The question for conservatives has to be whether we’re willing to destroy every single conservative alternative to Jeb Bush because they’re a heretic on one issue or another. Or in this case, a statement made wasn’t as strong as we would like.
If Walker ends up being the nominee I know Mark will jump on board.
Right now he’s probably hoping for Cruz, so I can see his point in waiting.
Interesting
You’re generally right, online polls are usually not worth very much. The recent Drudge poll I think is different because Walker won by such a wide margin. Unlike most internet polls, this one put people on notice that Walker is a serious candidate. It gives him some brief momentum. Brief being key, as in no one will remember the poll by Friday.
Rush limbaugh and Mark Levin ping!
Rush’s non-endorsement endorsement of Walker was way over the top, I’ve never heard him praise anyone quite like that; I’m glad Walker took on the Unions and beat them back and cut taxes; but his positions on illegal aliens makes him a non starter for 2016; he made great strides in Wisconsin and should stay there for eight more years to reinforce his efforts; they are subject to collapse if he were leave so soon.
That being said I will confess I am bias on Cruz 2016...as far as I’m concerned there is no other choice; if Sarah runs then I will see a reason to compare and consider; but at this point no one else is close to comparable, NO ONE!
CRUZ 2016!
Rush didn’t get to be the highest paid person on radio in the history of the world by being wrong, he isn’t about to start now.
Rush is acknowledging Walker’s past and present executive and political conduct. Mark is worried about Walker caving to the establishment at a time when the Constitution cannot withstand many more blows from unprincipled Republicans combined with the sustained onslaught of the Marxist Democrat Party.
No schism or disagreement to be seen here. We are all gun shy because of past misrepresentations of policy on the parts of previous candidates. We have a whole slough of candidates to choose from. It’s incumbent on us to back the best one.
Completely done with RL.
So I won’t know if he’s still pimping Walker today, assume he is.
Cruz is a great leader, but his inexperience and un proven abilities as a chief executive so his lack of proven ability to run an organization is a significant drawback that needs to be addressed.
On the other hand, Cruz is solid on foreign policy, a place where Walker is unproven.
Online polls like the Drudge poll are completely worthless.
Yes, they are. I voted for Scott Walker 5 or 6 times.
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