- Scott Walker « Speech Suspending HIs Campaign
Gov. Scott Walker Statement on Campaign
The Edgewater – Mendota C
Madison, WI
September 21, 2015, 5 p.m.
That thought came into my head when we were all standing at the Reagan Library last Wednesday. President Reagan was good for America because he was an optimist.
Sadly, the debate taking place in the Republican party today is not focused on that optimistic view of America. Instead, it has drifted into personal attacks.
In the end, I believe that voters want to be for something and not against someone. Instead of talking about how bad things are, we want to hear about how we can make them better for everyone.
We need to get back to the basics of our party:
We are the party that believes that people create jobs - not the government - and the best way to grow the economy is to get the government out of the way and build it from the ground up.
We are the party that believes that the way to measure success in government is by how many people are no longer dependent on the government - because we ultimately believe in the dignity of work.
We are the party that believes that a strong military leads to peace through strength and that will protect our children and future generations - we believe that good will triumph over evil.
We are the party that believes in the American people - and not the federal government.
These ideas will help us win the election next fall and - more importantly - these ideas will help make our country great again.
To refocus the debate will require leadership. While I was sitting in church yesterday, the pastor's words reminded me that the Bible is full of stories about people who were called to be leaders in unusual ways.
Today, I believe that I am being called to lead by helping to clear the race so that a positive conservative message can rise to the top of the field. With that in mind, I will suspend my campaign immediately.
I encourage other Republican presidential candidates to consider doing the same so the voters can focus on a limited number of candidates who can offer a positive conservative alternative to the current frontrunner. This is fundamentally important to the future of the party and - ultimately - to the future of our country.
This is a difficult decision as so many wonderful people stepped up to support our efforts. Tonette and I are so very thankful for the many outstanding volunteers and the excellent staff who helped us throughout the campaign. You have become like family to us.
And speaking of family, I want to personally thank my wife Tonette - who has been a rock - as well as our amazing sons Matt and Alex. I thank my parents, my brother David and his family - and all of our other family and friends for their love and support.
Most of all, I want to thank God for His abundant grace. Win or lose, it is more than enough for any of us.
REACTIONS
Unintimidated PAC
STATEMENT ON GOVERNOR WALKER'S ANNOUNCEMENT
Madison, WI – Unintimidated PAC, the leading independent organization supporting Governor Scott Walker’s candidacy for President, today issued the following statement from UPAC Executive Director Keith Gilkes:
“Scott Walker is the most accomplished conservative Governor in America. Despite facing the most intense protests from the extreme liberal left and their special interests, Governor Walker fought back and turned deficits into surpluses, returned those surpluses to taxpayers through tax cuts, expanded school choice, and fought to ensure that government unions paid their fair share like everyone else. I’d like to personally thank our supporters for their generosity, time, and support of Governor Walker.
"Governor Walker has been a warrior for the conservative movement — delivering unprecedented victories that culminated in a bucket list of conservative reforms that changed people’s lives for the better. Governor Walker’s decision to gracefully exit the race was no doubt tremendously difficult for him and his family, but it is a testament to the type of man and leader that he is."
Cruz for President
Cruz: I Wish Gov. Walker And Tonette All The Best In Their Continued Service To Wisconsin And The Country
Gov. Huckabee comments on Gov. Scott Walker's exit from presidential race
Marco's Statement on Walker Announcement
"Scott Walker is a good man who entered the presidential race after winning three grueling campaigns in four years. I know many people are disappointed with Scott's announcement and I respect what a difficult decision it must have been. He remains one of the best governors in the country and I have no doubt that he'll continue the fight for conservative principles. Republicans are lucky to have Scott on our team, and I wish the best to him and his family."
DNC Statement in response to Scott Walker’s Dropping Out of the Presidential Race
“From the beginning, Walker’s campaign showcased the unabashed hostility that the Republican field has for working people, the middle class, immigrants, and women. No matter which Republican emerges as this reality show’s victor, voters will ultimately reject the Republican nominee’s jaw-dropping determination to cater to the wealthy at the expense of the middle class.” – DNC spokesperson TJ HelmstetterAmerican Bridge
American Bridge Response To Scott Walker's Trump-ing
American Bridge President Jessica Mackler issued the following statement:"King Of Kochworld" Falls But Rest Of GOP Field Ready To Put The Kochs First
Scott Walker was the Kochs' chosen one, the "King of Kochworld." The Kochs hand-picked Walker because of his deep commitment to putting the Kochs' self-enriching agenda ahead of everything else. On nearly every single issue, Walker was the Kochs' model candidate. Whether it was attacking health care reform, slashing funding for education, working to disenfranchise voters, or hurting working families, when the Kochs said jump, Scott Walker said, "How high?"While the Kochs won't get a return on their investment under a President Walker, the rest of the GOP field is just as cozy with the Kochs and committed to moving the billionaires' self-interested, profit-maximizing agenda forward.
In the end, whomever the Republican nominee is, the Kochs won't lose. Like Walker, the rest of the GOP field is committed to toeing the Koch line:
Jeb Bush is no stranger in Koch country, as his ties to the billionaire brothers run deep. Jeb's association with Koch-linked groups goes back decades, and even predates his first gubernatorial election --continuing through his tenure as governor and to this day.
Marco Rubio has taken every available opportunity to show his deep allegiance to the Kochs' "libertarian" causes in hopes they'll spend big on his campaign. On issue after issue, Rubio's been a strong supporter of the Koch agenda -- opposing the Ex-Im Bank, fighting against net neutrality, blocking a raise to the minimum wage, and supporting tax cuts for rich special interests like the Kochs.
Carly Fiorina made an attempt to schmooze the Kochs less than two months ago and according to POLITICO, had a performance on par with Rubio and Walker in the minds of Koch donors. In addition to her campaign manager being a former Koch Industries employee, Fiorina has signaled she's just as committed to moving the Koch agenda forward as the rest of the GOP field.
With Walker out of the race, and the "Koch-iest Candidate" title up for grabs, each candidate in the Republican field will likely renew their efforts to woo the Koch brothers in hopes they spend a piece of the $900 million they've promised to spend in 2016 propping up his or her campaign.
Communications Director, Bridge Project | Communications Advisor, American Bridge
Americans United for Change
AUFC Statement on WI Gov. Scott Walker’s Whimpering Exit from the Presidential Stage
“Turns out belittling working men and women isn’t a recipe for success even among GOP primary voters”
Washington DC – With Wisconsin Governor
Scott Walker widely expected
to drop out of the presidential race tonight, Americans United for
Change President Brad Woodhouse issued the following statement:
“As he limps out of the race at zero percent in the national
polls, Scott Walker was a one-trick labor bashing pony and the novelty
seems to have worn off even among Republican
primary voters. And not even the Koch brothers
could save him from his money problems. But really, what was Walker
running on to begin with? All Walker had to show for stripping away
thousands of Wisconsin workers’ collective bargaining rights was
turning one of the best state jobs records into one of the worst in the
Midwest, while the Badger state led the nation
in families falling out of the middle class. Governor Walker has the
reverse-Midas touch. Everything he touches economically turns to dairy
cow flop. Let Walker’s early collapse be a lesson to the other
Republicans who might be considering taking up the Right-to-Work (For 3% Less) mantle. Assaulting
the labor movement isn’t just a loser economically, it’s a loser
politically, with polls showing that nearly 60
percent of
Americans and a greater majority of millennials, regardless of
political affiliation, support unions. Don’t let the door hit you
on
the way out, Scott.”
