Scott Walker early on was the conservative favorite, almost by default. Marco Rubio, Rand Paul, and Ted Cruz are senators, and so new. Chris Christie’s personality and scandals were a drag. Jeb was named Bush. Walker was the conservative elected statewide again and again.

So Walker’s support was always shallow. The electorate’s knowledge of his record was pretty narrow. Basically, conservatives gave him the first audition. He flubbed it.

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