Link to the rest of the GOP candidates
Governor Scott Walker, polling at 5% for the Republican presidential nomination (CNN), demonstrated an evident knowledge of and passion for economic reform in the United States during the September 16 GOP Debate. Unfortunately, this was the only point in the debate where he expressed a clear stance and provided an explanation as to why his platform differed from the typical Republican platform. While Walker had a relatively prime position in the second round of the GOP Debates, his lack of both originality and presence may result in a fatal outcome for his chances to be the 2016 Republican nominee for president.
Because of the number of presidential hopefuls in the race for the Republican nomination, the necessity to stand out as a candidate is much more prominent than it has been in the past. There are a number of ways to successfully gain recognition by both the media and voters: through policy, reformation plans, rhetoric, the amount of times one interrupts another debater speaking, etc. Walker utilized none of those essentials. On most issues, he stuck to the general conservative viewpoint, without incorporating his own plans or a slight deviation from policy. While the typical stances might appeal to the establishment right-wing populace, in a race against over a dozen viable candidates, it is crucial to have some deviation from the traditional viewpoints and unique methods to substantially change an issue prevalent within our government and/or society.
When discussing a hot topic such as undocumented immigration or gun regulation, in which both Republicans and Democrats can agree there is a fundamental issue, voters are desperate to see a candidate that provides them with an option to mitigate the impact of these problems. This is especially true when candidates such as the current GOP frontrunner, Donald Trump, have voiced elaborate, and maybe even risky plans to fix issues such as our immigration system. The only instance that Walker seemed to contribute to the debate with his own ideas was when economic reform became the topic. However, even his fiscal policy might have hurt, not helped, his chances for the Republican ticket.
Despite Walker’s implications that Wisconsin’s economy is a relevant and ideal model for the structure of the national fiscal policy, critics argue that this state would actually be one of the worst to base the country’s economy off of. Walker attempted to challenge Trump by stating that “we don’t need an apprentice in the White House. We have one right now.” To which Trump responded by shedding light onto Wisconsin’s economic failure under Walker’s leadership. Since 2011 when Walker became governor, the state gradually began its advancement towards the ultimate loss of $2.2 billion dollars. Trump also brought forth the fact that the Walker did not create jobs in his state, jobs that he had promised as a candidate for the position of governor. This could partially be due to his enforcement of right-to-work laws (not mentioned in the debate), or anti-union laws, in his state. After his spar with Trump, Walker’s only bright moment in the entire debate dissolved.
Walker had been known to be the “everyman candidate,” one who could appeal to both conservatives and right-leaning independents with his family values and standard viewpoints. However, as more and more hopefuls entered the race, the impact of this platform was undermined by the boldness and differences of the other candidates. Quickly falling in the polls, the second round of the GOP debates would be crucial for him to present to the United States his differences from the other candidates, and why he is the best option for the presidency. However, he failed to debate on most issues (except when he was directly asked a question by moderator Jake Tapper). After the debates ended, articles and tweets discussed the success of candidates Carly Fiorina and Trump, but Walker was hardly mentioned. Walker fell through the cracks in this debate, which, with a candidate pool so large, could easily mean that he has fallen through the cracks in the polls as well.
These debates may have been Walker’s last hope at presenting himself to the entire country, and why he, despite his state’s economic failure, was a viable candidate for President of the United States. Once the most relatable of the candidates, Walker in the prime time debates became forgettable, replaced by the outspoken and broad ideas of everyone else on the stage of the Reagan Library. Even when he did contribute and debate, Walker’s economic policy was shut down by the statistics that proved his state unsuccessful fiscally. Walker may not have another chance to show why his policies are different and better than other candidates, but in the meantime, he has begun his slow progression down the polls and out of the hearts of his supporters.