Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin will be new 2016 Presidential Candidate. He has officially announced his campaign for president on Monday, making him the last expected major Republican candidate to enter the race.
Walker became famous shortly after he took office in 2011, when he stripped public employees of their collective-bargaining rights and effectively crushed public unions in Wisconsin. The move inspired tens of thousands of people to stream to the State Capitol for weeks of massive protests and rallies against the proposal. Since then, the former Milwaukee County Executive has completely changed almost every aspect of Wisconsin. He repealed a law that made it easier for victims of wage discrimination to take cases to court; he’s rebuffed attempts to raise the state’s minimum wage from $7.25; he signed laws that greatly restricted abortion access, including a 20-week abortion ban that includes no exceptions for rape or incest. Just since his reelection, he has signed right-to-work legislation and a budget that eliminates the state’s living wage protections. He also cut hundreds of millions of dollars from Wisconsin’s university system, eliminated a waiting period for gun purchases, and has supported ending workers’ right to a weekend.
Walker’s ability to speak to conservative voters and business interests has already given him an advantage over many of his opponents. Since he was first elected, Walker has had the ear of Charles and David Koch, the billionaire conservatives who have dedicated themselves and their fortune to promoting right-wing causes. They haven’t officially endorsed him in the presidential race yet, but they have appeared with him at fundraisers. Walker never finished college — he left during his senior year — but at a time when so many people are struggling to afford higher education. Walker has been one of the top few candidates in every early poll, and he’s planning a massive push in Iowa this weekend to boost his chances against Jeb Bush.
On August 6, Walker, Bush, and the eight other top-ranking candidates will be introducing themselves to the nation in the initial Republican debate.
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Photo: Nati Harnik/AP Photo