You can call it the Rust Belt or the Industrial Midwest if you like, but when presidential election time comes you should call it precious real estate. The seven states that hold the schools that comprised the old, pre-expansion Big Ten athletic conference – Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio […] Read more »
The challenges ahead as Gov. Scott Walker kicks off 2016 bid
More has gone right than wrong for Gov. Scott Walker in the six months leading up to his presidential kickoff Monday. He is the clear frontrunner in Iowa, the first contest. He’s widely regarded within the political world as one of the three or four Republicans most likely to win […] Read more »
Is Scott Walker’s Crossover Appeal Real? Turnout Data Raises Questions
A major part of Republican Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s appeal, he reminds supporters in every stump speech, is his proven ability to win the governor’s mansion in a highly-contested, Democratic-leaning state. But with Mr. Walker set to launch his presidential candidacy on Monday, a closer look at the numbers shows […] Read more »
Government isn’t a business
“Running government like a business” is a mantra for many politicians, particularly Republicans. Two GOP governors who are trying to become president, Ohio’s John Kasich and Wisconsin’s Scott Walker, made that appeal explicit as they transformed their state economic development agencies into “private” entities. The results suggest they know precious […] Read more »
Does Scott Walker Have What It Takes to Win in 2016?
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is widely viewed as a top-tier hopeful for the GOP presidential nomination. But it’s less clear he has the right profile to knock off the likely Democratic nominee, former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. Walker’s strength in the nomination race comes from his positioning in […] Read more »
Walker’s Tricky Balancing Act
What makes Scott Walker such a formidable candidate in the primary is also what makes him vulnerable in a general election. As Walker flexes his conservative muscle on everything from immigration to gay marriage to abortion, he also risks being easily portrayed as ‘out of touch’ to the moderate voters […] Read more »