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Scott Walker Would Be the Most Conservative GOP Candidate Since Goldwater
Mother Jones ^ | February 11, 2015 | Kevin Drum

Posted on 02/12/2015 2:35:12 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife

For those of us who are sort of fascinated by the rise of Scott Walker as a Republican presidential contender, here's an interesting chart from Jason McDaniel, a political science professor at San Francisco State University. It shows the relative conservative-ness of GOP presidential nominees in the past six contested elections, and it demonstrates what an outlier Walker would be if he won next year's primary: he'd be the first candidate since Ronald Reagan who's more conservative than the average of the Republican field.

And by McDaniel's measure, he'd actually be the most conservative recent nominee, period—even more right-wing than Reagan:

Walker is well to the right end of the conservative spectrum, residing in the ideological neighborhood of Ted Cruz and Rand Paul....It is not a stretch to argue that if nominated, Walker would be the most conservative Republican nominee since Barry Goldwater in 1964.

....In contrast, Jeb Bush’s ideological position closely resembles previous Republican nominees. Bush most closely resembles John McCain in 2008....In Scott Walker versus Jeb Bush, party elites and primary voters are presented with clearly contrasting visions of the future direction of the Republican party....If the recent history of Republican nomination contests is any guide, the party is likely to decide that Scott Walker is too ideologically extreme to be the Republican nominee in 2016.

Of course, the fact that this chart seems surprising is one of Walker's big strengths. He may be as conservative as, say, Ted Cruz or Rand Paul, but he doesn't seem as conservative. He doesn't have Cruz's bombast and he doesn't go around hinting that we should go back to the gold standard, like Rand Paul. In practice, that may put him closer to the center of the field than his actual positions warrant.

Still, McDaniel's data is worth taking note of. If Walker remains hardnosed in his views, it may be hard to hide this from the voters. Eventually he's going to say something that will cause the Jeb Bushes and Chris Christies to pounce, and that might expose him as too much of an ideologue to win the mainstream Republican vote. It all depends on how well he learns to dog whistle and tap dance at the same time. But then, that's true of everyone running for president, isn't it?


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Editorial; Government; US: Wisconsin
KEYWORDS: 2016; conservatism; walker; wisconsin
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To: AuH2ORepublican
For the THIRD TIME, I say again:
61 posted on 02/12/2015 5:57:22 AM PST by Yosemitest (It's Simple ! Fight, ... or Die !)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
Rand Pauls whole family is batshit crazy.

May as well put a teenager in the WH who has issues with staying
on any topic longer than a sound bite, and with a family who is batshit
nuts there is a recipe for another Obama like whimsical dictator.

Rand Paul kook isn't a stable choice at all. I wouldn't even consider voting for him.

All the Libertarians here on the board who also support free marijuana and legalized Heroin
fully support him. Nice big red flag there.

62 posted on 02/12/2015 5:58:00 AM PST by MaxMax (Pay Attention and you'll be pissed off too! FIRE BOEHNER, NOW!)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

So would CRUZ. I like our options.


63 posted on 02/12/2015 5:59:15 AM PST by Uncle Miltie (Bush / Clinton 2016! Clinton / Bush 2020! Uniparty Rules!)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
In contrast, Jeb Bush’s ideological position closely resembles previous Republican nominees.

Yup. Jeb Bush falls very much in line with previous candidates, ALL OF WHOM LOST!!!!

64 posted on 02/12/2015 6:09:37 AM PST by The_Victor (If all I want is a warm feeling, I should just wet my pants.)
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To: Yosemitest

I read those little snippets grouped by “On the Issues,” and, more to the point, I understood what the words mean.


65 posted on 02/12/2015 6:10:06 AM PST by AuH2ORepublican (If a politician won't protect innocent babies, what makes you think that he'll defend your rights?)
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To: Yosemitest
Pro Amnesty Scott Walker is NOT ELECTBLE. Ted Cruz is our ONLY CONSERVATIVE CHOICE.

Nothing like having pipe dreams and fantasies running through one's mind as a strategy - sure loser meme and it has been demonstrated why it is a loser. Put all your eggs in one basket - one that hasn't even formally stepped up yet - and you become a demonstration of the problem.

If you and those who think like you had to live up to their own expectations, you would be an extinct breed due to depression-crisis suicides..

66 posted on 02/12/2015 6:12:14 AM PST by trebb (Where in the the hell has my country gone?)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

I couldn’t read past the headline and the source.

Mother Jones is not where I go to find a good gauge of conservatism.

And I already know that Walker has surrendered on the issues I care most about.


67 posted on 02/12/2015 6:13:48 AM PST by EternalVigilance (Well-regulated mass murder is still mass murder.)
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To: trebb
So you support LOWERING WAGES for the middle class with ILLEGAL ALIENS TAKING THEIR JOBS ?
You SUPPORT MORE OF YOUR TAX DOLLARS BEING SPENT PROTECTING ILLEGL ALIENS?
68 posted on 02/12/2015 6:16:05 AM PST by Yosemitest (It's Simple ! Fight, ... or Die !)
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To: Yosemitest
So you support LOWERING WAGES for the middle class with ILLEGAL ALIENS TAKING THEIR JOBS ? You SUPPORT MORE OF YOUR TAX DOLLARS BEING SPENT PROTECTING ILLEGL ALIENS?

Nope - don't support any of that. I do support getting someone to the Right of an Obama in the WH instead of just giving it all to them on a silver platter because I have some concerns that have not been proven to be valid. The overuse of capitals tells me that you are letting your emotions rule your mind and that may be why you have stopped thinking and opted for polemic rhetoric - once again you are a perfect demonstration of why we got Obama for not just one term, but for two terms and why we may yet give the WH to another hard-core leftist - absolute inability to make a sane discernment and a propensity for shitting in the oatmeal and blaming it on the outhouse not being up to your standards.

69 posted on 02/12/2015 6:22:44 AM PST by trebb (Where in the the hell has my country gone?)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

I think Ted Cruz will be even more conservative.


70 posted on 02/12/2015 6:23:11 AM PST by DoodleDawg
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To: Dr. Sivana

For a guy who isn’t electable, he sure gets elected a lot.


:)


71 posted on 02/12/2015 6:24:46 AM PST by MrB (The difference between a Humanist and a Satanist - the latter admits whom he's working for)
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To: sitetest

How does that compare to the Kerry situation?


72 posted on 02/12/2015 6:25:23 AM PST by MrB (The difference between a Humanist and a Satanist - the latter admits whom he's working for)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Perhaps. And Ted Cruz would be even better.


73 posted on 02/12/2015 6:26:18 AM PST by Colonel_Flagg (You're either in or in the way.)
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To: Dr. Sivana
Yosemitest: Pro Amnesty Scott Walker is NOT ELECTBLE.

You: For a guy who isn't electable, he sure gets elected a lot.

They'll kill Walker like they did Romney. As in 2012, they may well defeat Walker because he doesn't 1000% fit someone's ideal. And just like 2012, by killing Walker they will be working for Hillary.

Walker is conservative enough for me.

I say it again: If Free Republic works against the Republican nominee as in 2012, I will be taking my monthly donation to some other conservative forum.

74 posted on 02/12/2015 6:32:52 AM PST by citizen (A liberal is someone who doesnÂ’t care what you do - as long as itÂ’s mandatory.)
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To: trebb
Hell, ANY independent or GOP candidate could qualify under that desire? Sorry, but I'm not that powerful.
HOWEVER ... idiots that believe anything the LAME STREAM MEDIA trys to sell us, and anything the "ESTABLISHMENT REPUBLICANS" SAY ... might be your target to "Get 'er done!"

I WILL VOTE AGAINST ... AND TO DESTROY ANY "Establishment Republican" !
Compromisers ALWAYS LOSE !

"Establishment Republicans" lose everytime they're listened to.
They wouldn't care if they DO lose.
If they can't be in power, they don't want US in power.
It's just that simple.
It's WAR!

We will never unify under "Establishment Republicans" .
"Establishment Republicans" have more in common with the Democrats, than they do with Conservatives.
The weak candidates are "Establishment Republicans", weak on national security, amnesty for illegals, abortion, and government spending.
"Establishment Republicans" scream "COMPROMISE".
And people who study the Bible know that COMPROMISE almost always leads to destruction.
Someone once said [We're] 'Not victims of "the Establishment." '
I disagree.
I ask you again: It WAS Mitt Romney, leader of the "Establishment Republicans"
and it WAS the "Establishment Republicans" who funded all those negative ads against Conservatives.

So conservatives, the BASE of the Republican Party, WERE ' victims of "the Establishment." '

These "Establishment Republicans" are being weeded out, one by one, and slowly but surely, the TEA Party is taking over.

"Establishment Republicans" Want to Redefine the Term "Conservative"
DO CONSERVATIVES "ESTABLISHMENT REPUBLICANS" WANT TO WIN IN 2016 OR NOT?

Jack Kerwick wrote an article on May 24, 2011 titled The Tea Partier versus The Republican and he expressed some important issues that I agree with.


I'm fresh out of "patience", and I'm not in the mood for "compromise".
"COMPROMISE" to me is a dirty word.
Let the RINO's compromise their values, with the conservatives, for a change.
Take a good long look at where "Establishment Republicans" ALWAYS take us.



The "Establishment Republicans" can GO TO HELL !

75 posted on 02/12/2015 6:42:22 AM PST by Yosemitest (It's Simple ! Fight, ... or Die !)
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To: Yosemitest

Cruz is best, but Walker is still good.

I would prefer Cruz, but settle for Walker.


76 posted on 02/12/2015 6:56:50 AM PST by samtheman
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To: samtheman
I won't.
"HELL NO" to AMNESTY !
77 posted on 02/12/2015 6:58:57 AM PST by Yosemitest (It's Simple ! Fight, ... or Die !)
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To: Dr. Sivana; Yosemitest; Impy; fieldmarshaldj; BillyBoy
RE:”Pro Amnesty Scott Walker is NOT ELECTBLE.
..........
For a guy who isn't electable, he sure gets elected a lot.”

BUMP!

Gets elected and beats Dems in battles, beats them bad too.

He doesn't lose every fight he starts and and then blames others for it. He gets results.

78 posted on 02/12/2015 7:35:56 AM PST by sickoflibs (King Obama : 'The debate is over. The time for talk is over. Just follow my commands you serfs""')
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To: stephenjohnbanker
RE :”Scott Walker Would Be the Most Conservative GOP Candidate Since Goldwater”

Maybe he's too conservative to get elected ..... :)

Romney's out, Christies probably out, how about Jeb or Lindsey or Huckleberry?

79 posted on 02/12/2015 7:56:11 AM PST by sickoflibs (King Obama : 'The debate is over. The time for talk is over. Just follow my commands you serfs""')
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To: Yosemitest

“what he supports: legal status for millions of people here already, while making it easier for immigrants to come here through the front door. “
Cruz supports amnesty for illegal aliens:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/13/us/cruz-tries-to-claim-the-middle-ground-on-immigration.html?pagewanted=all

Sen. Ted Cruz also supports temporary legalization status in the immigration bill

Read more: http://therightscoop.com/sen-ted-cruz-also-supports-temporary-legalization-status-in-the-immigration-bill/


80 posted on 02/12/2015 8:05:20 AM PST by Plummz (pro-constitution, anti-corruption)
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