Posted on 01/25/2015 4:57:52 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
DES MOINES, Iowa — Scott Walker’s stock is soaring after a triumphant return to Iowa.
The Wisconsin Republican governor delivered a pitch-perfect speech to a room packed with influential Hawkeye State conservatives on Saturday, walking them through his robust resume and ideology with a passion that surprised many.
Activists say Walker came out on top after 10 hours of candidate speeches.
“It was a clear Walker victory. He had expectations coming in here, he was on everyone's shortlist and he had to meet those expectations and I thought he far exceeded them,” said former Iowa Republican Party political director Craig Robinson. “I thought his speech was just perfect, and I thought his delivery was perfect. The delivery really surprised me.”
Walker held his own against Ted Cruz, the event’s other star. While the Texas senator always turns in commanding performances with conservative crowds, the governor next door helped himself the most by making a strong first impression with many Iowa activists who simply knew him from his showdown with the unions.
He offered something for almost every type of conservative, rolling through his record of both social and fiscal accomplishments, drawing big applause by knocking “radical Islamic terrorists” and touting legislation he backed to relax gun control laws and cut taxes.
He spoke about his faith in a natural way, and in one sentence managed to mention that he was both the son of a pastor and had Iowa roots (Walker spent his early years in the state before his dad moved to a church in Wisconsin).
Most importantly, he did it all with a folksy yet fiery delivery that had observers gushing and brought the crowd to their feet.
The biggest question surrounding Walker heading into the weekend is whether his charisma could stack up against the other White House contenders. It was a worry Walker shared — one Republican who talked to him backstage said the governor expressed concern that people would view him as “bland.” But as the strode onstage with his shirt sleeves rolled up and paced about the floor, those worries vanished.
“Walker found a way to talk about himself, talk about the country and talk about Iowa in perfect proportionality, and he did so with a style that was very easy and engaging,” said Republican pollster Frank Luntz. “He connected to these people — you could see it.”
Iowa GOP power brokers say Walker has also performed well in casual conversations and private meetings.
“He was quite impressive in terms of him talking about specifics about what he’s done in Wisconsin and the kind of leader he was,” said Iowa Republican National Committeeman Steve Scheffler, who met with Walker last week at the Republican National Committee’s winter meeting in San Diego. “People want somebody like him who has a track record and isn’t afraid to take on the powers that be, whether that be Scott Walker or whoever.”
Walker hasn't had the luxury of spending as much time in Iowa as some of the other candidates who spoke on Saturday, thanks to his own competitive reelection he first had to survive last November. And, like every candidate, he still has plenty of work to do in the inaugural state with just over a year until the pivotal caucuses.
While he’s landed two top GOP strategists with Iowa experience in former Republican National Committee Director Rick Wiley and David Polyansky, a Texas-based strategist who was a top advisor for Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), he still hasn’t hired a full-time Iowa staffer.
Some Iowa conservatives also say he needs to develop more knowledge on topics he hasn’t dealt with as governor.
“He was very personable. When the questions were about his resume he was really good because he has a pretty good resume. When the questions got into a broader context about policies beyond his resume his answers were pretty canned, pretty typical formula talking points,” said Iowa conservative radio host Steve Deace, who interviewed Walker on Saturday. “It’s his first time out as a candidate but I do think he’ll have to provide a lot more substance on issues than when I got a chance to talk to him.”
But Walker made a big splash in his first Iowa appearance of 2015, stealing the spotlight from his likely foes.
“That's the first time I've ever heard him live and he was tremendous. It was a great speech,” said Sam Clovis, a conservative kingmaker and the GOP’s 2014 nominee for state treasurer. “That was something special.”
2016 Contender Governor Scott Walker: Obama’s Exec Amnesty Hurting Middle Class Americans, GOP Must Block Funding
Posted by Staff
On Friday’s program, Laura was joined by likely 2016 presidential candidate, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. Walker warned that Obama’s job-killing executive amnesty will have a devastating impact on American middle class workers, who are already struggling to make ends meet. Walker explained that Obama has demonstrated that he cannot be trusted and, as such, the Republican Party should not cut a deal with him on immigration.
Walker also told Ingraham that if the GOP wants to win elections, it must focus on appealing to working class voters through a message of economic populism.
Interview Excerpts: [LISTEN]
Walker on Obama’s exec amnesty: “This guy went from the audacity of hope to the audacity of the power play... Two weeks after (in his own words) his policies were on the ballot and they were resoundingly defeated, instead of doing what any normal person would do which is to back off and figure out a way to work with the new Senate majority, newly grown House majority, instead he’s doubled down and gone the opposite way, and I think really put in place a legal crisis (at a minimum) and a constitutional crisis in terms of the separation of powers.” [2:50]
Walker on whether GOP should strike a deal with Obama on immigration: “Not at all... on immigration we should be going full out against this president and Congress and the American people should push back on this, I think there’s a legal case to be made, the power of the purse has to be invoked.” [4:14]
Walker warns exec amnesty will harm American worker: “You’re going to see a whole wave of people trying to come into America now, and that will affect people’s jobs, it will affect middle class workers, it will affect the unemployment rate in this country. And I think its even worse by not securing the border, it’s a matter of national security, it’s not just people coming from bordering countries, this is an entry point that we have not secured, and we have groups like ISIS that are trying to threaten the American way of life.” [6:05]
Walker says GOP must appeal working class voters in order to win elections: “The bread and butter of what makes my state work and I think makes this country work are the men and women who every day go to work and work hard, not just for a paycheck, they work hard because they want their children and their grandchildren to have a better life than they’ve had. We need to be fighting for them every single day, and when we show...that Republicans care for the average working American, we will win presidential elections just like we won gubernatorial elections.”
Walker on whether GOP should use power of the purse to block Obama’s executive amnesty: “Absolutely.” [10:15]
Walker: “I believe this president measures success in government, by how many people are dependent on the government. By how many people are on Medicaid, by how many people are on food stamps, by how many people are on unemployment. We should measure success in this country by just the opposite – by how many people are no longer dependent on the government— not because we pushed them out into the cold, but because we understand that the reason we are exceptional is in this country the true freedom of prosperity doesn’t come from the mighty hand of the government; it comes from the power and people that control their own lives and their own destinies, and the dignity that comes from work. There’s a reason why in this country we take a day off to celebrate the 4th of July and not the 15th of April— because we celebrate our independence from the government not dependence on it.” [12:45]
He was fearless in leading the legislative initiatives to gut the unions of their power in Wisconsin state government...
As opposed to Cruz he actually has governed, that's not a knock on Cruz, just a fact...
A nuts and bolt type of guy can also be a leader, do you think he won three elections in four years for governor by magic?
That takes leadership...to do...
I might add Cruz is by far and away the most conservative guy in the field of people running for POTUS...
Personally, I think that's great, I'd vote for him, but that almost makes him very unelectable...
He can't win the POTUS with the hard core conservatives vote alone, just like Obama had to hide his true progressive ideology with his "hope and change" BS to attach the middle voters
Cruz he will need to move left to attach moderates voters...
I don't see Cruz pulling stunts like Obama to win by hiding his true positions...
The men seeking man media will destroy him...
IT is between worker bee and full philosopher status. IT is not what Cruz targets. Cruz targets the upper end of the brain spectrum. IT is not that, it is just above vocational; it is not Aristotle status.
> “As opposed to Cruz he actually has governed, that’s not a knock on Cruz, just a fact...”
Governed eh?
Do did Jimmy Carter.
So did GW Bush.
If I travel the world and find a 7’5” Basketball player that can swish the net from the half court line 99% of the time and runs and jumps like the wind, I don’t give a rat’s ass if he’s never played before in the NBA.
Cruz is a superstar, Walker is not. Walker is first string and can score from time to time but he’s no Michael Jordan. Cruz is and more; much more.
500,000 is a flood gate not cherry picking....
I told you to go get the actual amendments that were shot down and where Cruz’ numbers are printed. When you get the links, come back here and I will show you the error of your ways.
Walker is eligible, Cruz is a Cuban/Canadian-American.
Oh yeah...nothing matters anymore.
Cruz is eligible. I’m waiting for that fight.
Sen. Cruz Presents Measure to Strengthen, Improve Legal Immigration
Cruz is a superstar to the right...not to the entire country...
In many segments of libtard land, he a chip off the block from Hitler...
Can Cruz win...? I'm not so sure...
Walker in my estimation has a far better chance...
Right, his father magically became an American citizen serving in the military, via the Way-back time machine.
Cruz is a great American!
I like Walker. I liked him when he ran for county executive after the pension backdraft in Milwaukee County. He’s been a good governor for the state of Wisconsin, but he’s not presidential material. He won both governor races because dems ran a weak candidate. Also a lot of dem infighting over who the candidate should be. He won the recall because the gimmedats didn’t have a horse in the race. They stayed home. He’s not as strong a candidate as people on this thread make him out to be. He’s accepted pathway to citizenship and gay marriage. He’s bought and paid for by his buddies the Koch brothers. We need a stark contrast to the dem candidate this election.
Cruz or Lose!
> “Immediately increase the H-1B cap by 500 percent from 65,000 to 325,000.”
Your number was 500,000 and yet you pull a link that shows you’re wrong. I’m laughing my *ss off watching you destroy your own argument.
And those H1-B visas that Cruz is proposing to increase are for STEM persons, meaning TOP TALENT.
There are millions of high IQ persons in the world today and many are born each day everywhere over the globe. These persons have genetic abnormalities that result in phenomenal brain power. We want them on our team with our own home grown and born American brains.
Of the millions and millions of high IQ brains, America has half. To take 325,000 from other countries denies them to those countries as long as they continue to perform.
Same as scouting and recruiting sports stars.
That’s what Ted Cruz is after; he’s after the stars. He’s not for importing a bunch of vocationally trained worker bees.
His mother is NBC and his father nationalized.
He’s eligible.
I think the raping of the average middle class citizen needs to stop now. Globalists can all < expletive deleted > off and die.
Regardless, I will not be voting for Cruz or Walker or any other Chamber of Commerce crony.
You must not have been reading very much about electoral changes.
The electorate composition has radically altered itself from 2012 to 2014.
In 2012, the Independents comprised 24% of the electorate, In 2014 they comprised an astounding 42%. Look it up.
And the Independents are not squish moderates. They are independently minded and fed up with both parties. They are Conservative in the majority.
Walker will not get the swing voters. He will run to the right as he does now and then swing to the establishment where he will lose the majority faction which now are the Independents. The Independents are smart and informed, they can see right past the BS that candidates put up.
Ted can continue to wear the GOP label but run as an Independent.
Here’s how Ted wins as a GOP Independent:
60% of the Independents or 24% of the Electorate.
95% of the Conservative GOP Base or 20% of the Electorate.
53% of the Latino vote or 4% of the Electorate.
98% of the Blue Collar Perot demographic or 3% of the Electorate.
90% OF THE Reagan democrats or 2% of the Electorate.
Total 53% of the Electorate.
Some remarks:
1. Latinos voted 40% for Ted Cruz in the general election for TX US Senator.
2. Latinos tend to vote for Latinos first, and Party second.
3. Anti-GOP/Cruz democrat voting Latinos will stay home if Executive Amnesty is stopped (because of democrat empty rhetoric and ineptness).
4. The Blue Collar Perot voter has been pinpointed as the demographic that sunk Romney in 2012. These are very stubborn voters who will stay home unless an independent true conservative leaning candidate emerges and convinces them they are the real deal (they saw Romney as a liar).
5. The Reagan democrats will vote for a perceived moderate democrat if that’s what’s on the ticket but will crossover to a strong Independent if there is that choice. Such a strong Independent can wear the GOP label but must be viewed as outside the GOP Establishment.
Some remarks on how Ted increases his margin of victory from 53% to 55%:
1. Pro-Israel American Jews will back Ted strongly. Although they are small as a percentage of the Electorate, they are a large in influence.
2. Some GOP moderates sensing a GOP Establishment loss will cross over and vote for a GOP Independent candidate. The moderates are largely groups that feed at the government trough and desire continuity and stability. Ted will attract many of these via his strong stance on defense and NASA.
Huh? Nothing wrong at all with Cruz’ voice, IMO. Didn’t even think about it, but maybe that was because Cruz’ voice was such a relief after sitting through Santorum’s speech, lol.
Hmmm
“Walker is not the guy to save the sinking ship that is America. He’s the guy to run the ship when it’s seaworthy.
Cruz is the guy to save the ship. Walker comes later.”
Exactly. We need a clarion call to “reignite the American dream”, as Ted puts it. We need a dynamic, persuasive orator and debater to give the people a vision for what America can become again. We need a debate champion who doesn’t even need a teleprompter when he speaks extemporaneously for 30 minutes without deviating from his themes. Cruz is that man.
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