Just 72 hours after Scott Walker sent out strong signals he was considering a bid for his old job next year, the former Wisconsin governor announced Sunday night he would not seek a third nonconsecutive term after all.
"I'm not going to be a candidate for governor in 2026," the Republican said in a video posted on X, citing his work as president of the Young America's Foundation as his top priority.
Three days before, Walker, 57, began posting pictures of himself wearing a "Make Wisconsin Great Again" cap that featured 45 and 47 — the same numbers of Donald Trump's nonconsecutive presidencies and would be the same as Walker's governorship if he were elected again next year.
More seriously, he laid out a string of policies he felt the 47th governor should pursue, ranging from eliminating the state income tax to banning China from owning any farmland in the Badger State.
Since Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, announced two weeks ago he was stepping down after two terms, speculation about a Walker comeback has been rampant. In 2011, Gov. Walker oversaw legislation to ban collective bargaining for public employees. Democrats, including organized labor, thereupon launched a recall movement against the governor that drew national attention as well as coverage from such overseas outlet as the BBC and the French publication Le Figaro. Walker survived the recall and went on to win reelection in 2014.
Two years later, however, the Wisconsin man's presidential campaign fizzled after two months as Trump began to suck the proverbial oxygen out of the Republican room. In 2018, Walker was narrowly unseated by Evers and eventually joined the nonprofit Young America's Foundation as president.
Since Walker has ruled out a comeback bid, attention is now focused on two conservative Republicans already in the race: manufacturing CEO Bill Berrien and Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann.
Other Republicans are reportedly pondering the gubernatorial primary, among them Rep. Tom Tiffany and state Senate President Mary Felzkowski.
Also beginning to receive mention is multimillionaire entrepreneur Eric Hovde, who lost one of the tightest Senate races in 2024 against Democrat Tammy Baldwin.
The early favorite among Democrats — and the candidate likely to get Evers' blessing — is Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez. Also reportedly poised to get into the race is Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley.
In ruling out a run next year, Walker held open the possibility of a bid for office at some future date. Noting on the video he is a quarter-century younger than Joe Biden, the former governor said, "That means I've got plenty of time and I don't need an autopen."
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
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