Scott Walker Still Hasn’t Announced For GOP Race; Mentions Possible 2016 Running Mate Anyway

Scott Walker hasn’t officially entered the race for the Republican presidential nomination yet, but he’s already offered up a potential running mate: Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.). That’s what Walker, the governor of Wisconsin, told Bloomberg on Thursday.

“I’ve actually had quite a few people, grassroots supporters, donors, and others who have made that suggestion. I do like Marco Rubio. I think he and I have similar thoughts on national defense and foreign policy.”

Of course, nothing is set in stone yet, especially since Walker has not formally announced his intention to run for the bid. Walker has said that he will do so after June 30 once his state has finalized a two-year budget.

And there’s the matter of Rubio’s own candidacy. Unlike Walker, Rubio has already entered the Republican race in hopes to earn the GOP nomination; Rubio announced on April 13. Scott Walker acknowledged Rubio’s campaign while talking with Bloomberg.

“For now, you know, Marco is a quality candidate. He’s going to be formidable in this race as things progress. And if we were to get in, we’d be as well, and we’ll see where things take us.”

Scott Walker has said in the past that if he earns the nomination, he would prefer another governor to run with, as he believes governors have better executive experience, according to Bloomberg. Nevertheless, sources close to Scott Walker say he’s taking the possibility of running alongside Rubio seriously.

Walker said, “Obviously, I’m deferential to governors. I think there’s a lot we bring to the table as having proved executive experience.”

Walker went on to say that despite his preference for other governors, he thinks having Rubio as a running mate would be beneficial.

Some pundits believe a Walker-Rubio ticket would be a good move, as Walker and Rubio appear to have a lot in common. Both men are relatively young compared to some other candidates (in their 40s), both have children, and both fall on the less-wealthy side of the spectrum when it comes to political candidates.

And still, Scott Walker and Rubio will have to run against one another should Walker decide to enter the race for the Republican bid, and it’s almost certain that he will.

With political races come quarrels, and that won’t be any different between Walker and Rubio moving forward. Already, Rubio has said that Walker, with his gubernatorial experience, won’t be able to handle foreign relations. In response, Walker said that governors are faced with the task of making decisions much more often than members of Congress.

Recent reports have shown Scott Walker as the poll leader in Iowa — the first state to caucus — by more than seven percentage points.

What do you think of a Scott Walker and Marco Rubio ticket?

[Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images]