Gov. Scott Walker Endorses Ted Cruz: Will It Help Or Hurt?
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Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has endorsed Ted Cruz in his presidential run this morning, a move that leaves some commentators wondering whether or not the Walker endorsement will be enough to close the gap between the Cruz and Trump campaigns by next Tuesday’s primary.
“After eight years of the failed Obama-Clinton Administration, Americans are looking for real leadership and a new direction. Ted Cruz is a principled constitutional conservative who understands that power belongs to the states,” said Gov. Scott Walker this morning on a Milwaukee radio show hosted by anti-Trump conservative Charlie Sykes.
Scott Walker’s support for Ted Cruz could cement Cruz’s reputation among Wisconsin’s right-wing Republicans, who have supported Walker’s troubled administration in the past. Walker’s endorsement could be a big win for Cruz, who is still trailing Trump in the Wisconsin polls ahead of next week’s primary race. Ted Cruz, for his part, is working to build support among Wisconsin’s blue-collar workers, many of whom identify with Trump’s hard-line stance on international trade, reports Fox News.
Donald Trump berates Scott Walker for not raising taxes in Wisconsin https://t.co/irexzRi9Eq
— Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) March 29, 2016
“Power belongs to the states, to the people – not bureaucrats in Washington. Just like we did in Wisconsin, Ted Cruz is not afraid to challenge the status quo and to stand up against big government special interests,” said Gov. Scott Walker in an interview with Charlie Sykes this morning, announcing his support for the Ted Cruz campaign.
Trump’s campaign seems to have stalled out among Republican voters in Wisconsin, particularly after his disastrous interview with Wisconsin radio host Charlie Sykes, who has endorsed Ted Cruz in the past as a part of his #NeverTrump stance.
“I wanted to make sure I was supporting someone, that I wasn’t against someone. I want to be for something,” Walker said on Charlie Sykes’ radio show this morning, stating that he has plans to campaign across Wisconsin for Ted Cruz.
As recently as last summer, Scott Walker’s support among the Republican base was skyrocketing. Even though the Wisconsin governor has a troubled record among Democratic constituents, Walker’s reputation among the Republican Party has been pretty solid despite some setbacks during his fight against Wisconsin unions.
“Governor Walker has been an outstanding leader in the conservative movement, and I’m honored to have his endorsement,” said Ted Cruz this morning in response to Gov. Scott Walker’s endorsement.
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker endorses Ted Cruz, calling him a "constitutional conservative" https://t.co/6OZtrfIwim https://t.co/uR2mnW8FTa
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) March 29, 2016
Scott Walker endorses Ted Cruz at a critical time for the Republican presidential candidate, who has seen trailing poll numbers in some U.S. states as a result of his bitter feud with Donald Trump, which has become increasingly personal, partisan, and ugly. But Cruz is gaining on Trump in Wisconsin, and the Walker endorsement could go a long way toward stopping Trump from securing a win in Wisconsin next week.
“[Ted Cruz] is the best positioned candidate to both win the Republican nomination and defeat Hillary Clinton. That’s why I endorse Ted Cruz for President of the United States,” Gov. Scott Walker concluded in his endorsement this morning on Charlie Sykes’ radio show.
Scott Walker had been teasing an endorsement for weeks, telling Charlie Sykes this morning that he wanted to wait until the right moment when his endorsement would have the maximum impact and help his chosen candidate, Ted Cruz. It looks like Walker was right, reports Politico, as some commentators are pointing out that Scott Walker’s fundraising network in Wisconsin could help deliver the state to the Ted Cruz campaign come next week.
“For Republicans who may be kind of sitting on the fence this is probably the shove they need to get going,” said Brandon Scholz, a Wisconsin Republican strategist who runs a public affairs group.
[Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images]
