MILWAUKEE (AP) – Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has his mojo back, and he’s got Ted Cruz and Donald Trump to thank for it.
Walker is re-emerging as a national political force six months after slipping into relative obscurity following his own short-lived, disappointing run for president.
Walker helped deliver Wisconsin for Cruz in a 13-point victory on Tuesday on an election night where the governor’s hand-picked state Supreme Court justice also won. Walker’s favorability ratings are also the highest they’ve been in a year, talk of him being on the vice presidential short list is increasing and he is now positioned to play a significant role in helping to deliver Wisconsin for a Republican presidential candidate for the first time in 32 years.
“Anyone who doubts we’re not back and re-engaged in Wisconsin, they don’t doubt it after last night,” Walker said in an interview on WTMJ radio in Milwaukee on Wednesday. Walker said he “absolutely” had regained his mojo, saying Trump made a mistake by attacking his record as governor while campaigning in the state. Trump blew into Wisconsin and immediately blasted the job Walker’s been doing as governor, even criticizing him for not raising taxes to avoid cutting education funding.
“Wisconsin is doing very poorly,” Trump said.