Here & Now

Scott Walker Wins Third Election in Four Years

Scott Walker:

Wow!

Frederica Freyberg:

Wow, indeed. Election night was a huge night for Republicans across Wisconsin and the whole country. I’m Frederica Freyberg. Tonight on “Here and Now,” the Walker wow factor and what’s next for Wisconsin Democrats. We’ll also talk with assembly speaker Robin Vos and minority leader Peter Barca about the ready-set-go agenda headed to the winter floor period of the legislature.

But first, after months of debates, TV ads and editorials, the voters got the last word Tuesday, and it was Walker. Zac Schultz was at the governor’s election night party.

Zac Schultz:

Governor Scott Walker’s victory speech Tuesday night had a familiar feel.

Scott Walker:

Wow!

Zac Schultz:

After all, this is the third time in four years he’s been elected governor.

Scott Walker:

Just a few moments ago I got on the phone and took a call from Mary Burke.

Zac Schultz:

Early on he thanked his opponent Mary Burke and made an effort at promoting unity.

Scott Walker:

–that she had a great love for her state just like her supports did. Together we are Wisconsinites more than we are Republicans or Democrats.

Zac Schultz:

Burke struck a similar tone in her concession speech.

Mary Burke:

And while tonight’s outcome is not what I had hoped for, I am more optimistic than I thought possible about the ability of Wisconsin to conquer any challenge put in front of us. I congratulate the governor on a hard-fought victory.

Zac Schultz:

While most of Walker’s speech was recycled from the campaign trail, it had a different feel, with more references to Washington DC and America.

Scott Walker:

Because in America it’s one of the few places left in the world where it doesn’t matter what your parents do for a living, it doesn’t matter what class you were born into. In America you can do and be anything you want.

Zac Schultz:

Since enacting his sweeping reforms in 2011, and then surviving the recall election, Governor Walker has been mentioned as a possible Republican candidate for president in 2016. And this speech ended with a flourish that felt like the campaign was still going, not wrapping up.

Scott Walker:

And in America we take a day off to celebrate the 4th of July and not the 15th of April, because in America we celebrate our independence from the government, not our dependence on it!

Zac Schultz:

That was not lost on this crowd.

Steve Mackie:

It certainly sounded like he was giving a speech for something that might happen in two years.

Patty Reiman:

He would be great. He is so Reagan-ish to me. Tonight’s speech seemed very national-ish to me.

Brian Schimming:

Yeah, I think almost anything he would have said tonight would have suddenly had a national feel. So he can have said thanks for being here and they would have said, who was he really talking to?

Zac Schultz:

On the campaign trail Governor Walker would not rule out a run for president, just saying his plan is to serve a full term.

Scott Walker:

My plan is to be governor for the next four years, the plan I've laid out, talked about publically is a four-year plan. It’s not a two-year plan or a year-and-a half plan. It’s a plan for the next four years.

Zac Schultz:

Brian Schimming is with the Republican Party of Wisconsin. He says Walker doesn’t actually need to say anything about running for president.

Brian Schimming:

People love to talk about 2016. He doesn’t have to because everyone else talks about it.

Zac Schultz:

And everyone else will keep watching the governor for signs he’s running, including how often he travels to key primary states like Iowa and New Hampshire, and what kind of legislation he pushes in this new term.

Governor Walker was already moving on to the biennial budget when he addressed his cabinet the day after the election.

Scott Walker:

We just want to begin by thanking you all.

Zac Schultz:

Walker grabbed national headlines with his reforms in his first term. If he wants national headlines again, he’s got a conservative legislature ready to make his ideas law.

Scott Walker:

One thing I want to inspire to you in the cabinet today is for us is we look at working not only with our budget team on putting the budget together, but is we’re going to be even more aggressive now because I think we’ve got an even stronger ally in the legislature.

Zac Schultz:

Don’t expect an official announcement on whether Governor Walker is running for president until it’s obvious one way or the other. But until then everybody will be watching his moves to see if it feels like it’s aimed at Wisconsin or the whole country.