OXON HILL, Md. — If Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has recently been caught flat-footed by the press, he still has legs with the conservative Republican base.
Last weekend, Walker drew incredulous headlines for responding with uncertainty when asked by two Washington Post reporters whether President Obama is Christian.
In a speech Thursday to the Conservative Political Action Conference, Walker got back to basics, sticking to the anti-unions, Washington-outsider message that has launched him into the top tier of likely Republican candidates for president. The crowd, packed into a hotel ballroom, rewarded him with enthusiasm.
“We have a president who thinks we grow America by growing Washington,” Walker said. “We understand that people create jobs, not the government.”
Walker originally shot to national notoriety with his fight against teachers unions in Wisconsin, whose supporters failed to recall Walker from office.
One protestor interrupted Walker’s speech, handing the governor one of his biggest applause lines.
“Apparently the protestors come from Wisconsin as well,” Walker joked. “Those voices can’t drown out the hardworking taxpayers who want us to stand up for them.”
The crowd gave Walker a standing ovation.
Walker’s anti-union narrative has helped launch him to early frontrunner status. A Quinnipiac University poll this week showed Walker with a commanding lead in Iowa among Republican contenders, with 25 percent of likely Iowa caucusgoers pledging support for Walker. The next strongest Republican, Sen. Rand Paul, drew 13 percent.
Walker plans to expand on his credentials governing a Democratic-leaning state in the coming weeks and months. To start, he promised the crowd that Wisconsin would soon, with his approval, become a “right to work” state, where employees may not be required to join unions. The proposal, approved by the Wisconsin Senate on Wednesday, has drawn a fresh round of protests.
But if Walker has so far been able to lean on his state record, proving his mettle on foreign affairs and national security has been a tougher climb. Walker hoped to beef up his resume recently with a trade mission to London, but the trip was overshadowed in the press when Walker decided to “punt” on a question about whether he supports the idea of evolution.
Thursday, Walker hit some favorite conservative foreign policy themes, including burnishing America’s alliance with Israel and fighting “radical Islamic terrorism.”
And Walker assured the crowd that he is no rookie on national security.
“Without divulging confidential info, I will tell you that I’ve been concerned about that threat abroad and on our soil for many years,” Walker said during a brief question-and-answer exchange following his speech.
A few vocal supporters, at least, were sold. When Walker acted coy about whether he would ultimately run for president, some members of the crowd offered their take.
“Run, Scott, run!” some supporters chanted.
“I did run track in high school,” Walker grinned.
