Scott Walker Moves Towards Announcement
There are still a handful of likely candidates who have yet to announce their candidacy for 2016, on both the Republican and Democratic side. One of these is Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, whom Politico reports this morning is moving closer to jumping in the race:
Walker edges closer to getting into White House race
In the latest indication of his impending bid for the White House, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has set up a “testing the waters committee” that will permit him to raise money for his all-but-announced presidential campaign.
“Americans want to hear more about what worked in Wisconsin and how Walker’s reforms can work across the country,” Walker adviser Rick Wiley said in a statement to The Associated Press, which first reported the news. “In the past several months many have urged him to run for president, and he has decided to take a serious look at running.”
Under Federal Election Commission guidelines, potential candidates may “test the waters” before announcing, including conducting polls, taking trips and making telephone calls. Once potential candidates spend or raise more than $5,000, he or she must register as an official candidate...
One of the things delaying Walker's probable entrance into the 2016 campaign is that as governor, he is working to wrap up the state budget before announcing. The self-described "progressive" Capital Times of Madison, Wisconsin had the following lede in a Big budget: Scott Walker is up against a deadline on his latest spending plan Read more: recent story on some of the budget challenges Walker is facing:
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s conservative state budget has encountered criticism from Democrats in the state Legislature. In other news, beer is brewing, cheese curds are squeaking and brats are grilling throughout the state.
What’s new this time around, in Walker’s third budget since he took office in 2011, is resistance from Republicans in the state Legislature. Oh, and a presidential campaign announcement hinging on the budget’s passage. Not only has Walker pledged to hold off on announcing his presidential intentions until after the budget has been signed, but the document will give national competitors and voters a metric for measuring the governor’s achievements in office...
Walker isn't the only governor eying a 2016 campaign but waiting until the budget is wrapped up. Chris Christie of New Jersey, Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, and John Kasich of Ohio are all facing similar budget deadlines that are keeping them out of the race. But within a few weeks the field will likely be joined by at least a couple of these potential candidates, and at least on the Republican side it's unlikely there will be any more after the sitting governors enter the race.