# Can Scott Walker be re-elected Governor of Wisconsin? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 20, 2014, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184 "2014-06-20T00:36:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/81 "2014-07-24T00:34:56Z")
This race is going to be close: [http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2014/governor/wi/wisconsin\_governor\_walker\_vs\_burke-4099.html](http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2014/governor/wi/wisconsin_governor_walker_vs_burke-4099.html) Latest poll puts Burke up by 1. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/82 "2014-07-24T08:29:47Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Me, too. Just asking: how goes the indictment? I haven’t heard of it being issues, so I guess Walker is STILL not indicted? > > Just asking, is all. Actually, Scott Walker pleaded guilty and was [sentenced](http://www.fbi.gov/jackson/press-releases/2014/ocean-springs-businessman-pleads-guilty-to-federal-program-fraud) to [18 months in Federal Prison](http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2014/07/scott_walker_sentenced_to_18_m.html). Oh! you mean the Scott Walker of _Wisconsin_. I was talking about the Scott Walker of _Mississippi_. Never mind. You have to word your bets carefully when dealing with shifty characters like MfM. I guess Bricker dodged that bullet. Whew! 🙂 In other news, [Wisconsin GOP Endorses Basis for Walker Criminal Probe](http://www.prwatch.org/news/2014/07/12548/wi-GOP-endorses-Walker-johndoe) according to PR Watch: I commend them for coming around on this pressing public issue and I trust they will follow up with an endorsement of Mary Burke (D) for Governor. This is especially noteworthy given that Walker [is not yet a target of an investigation](http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-pn-lawyer-wisconsin-walker-not-a-target-of-investigation-20140626-story.html), technically. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/83 "2014-07-24T14:19:18Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > Are you sure you’re not confusing Karl Rove as a Democrat? He’s the master of the big lie and dirty tricks. Starting from his days as an assistant to Nixon’s dirty trickster, Donald Segretti. I’m pretty sure Karl Rove is not involved in the smears and lies being spread against Walker. Except as a desperate attempt at a _tu quoque_, but that hardly counts, does it? Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/84 "2014-07-24T18:13:26Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > I’m pretty sure Karl Rove is not involved in the smears and lies being spread against Walker. > > Except as a desperate attempt at a _tu quoque_, but that hardly counts, does it? > > Regards, > Shodan Karl Rove has been instrumental in moving American politics into the gutter over the last several decades. No one else, not even Dick Cheney, has done so much evil to American politics. Lies about Walker? You mean some speculative, perhaps wishful thinking, on the part of his opponents that he would be indicted? Those lies? Or something else? Walker outraising Burke: [http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/walker-raised-more-out-of-state-funds-than-burke-b99315782z1-268115792.html](http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/walker-raised-more-out-of-state-funds-than-burke-b99315782z1-268115792.html) > [@](#): > > As of June 30, Walker has said he had $7.6 million on hand, about triple the $2.5 million Burke had. > > Of the $8.3 million raised by the Republican governor in the first half of 2014, $4.6 million, or 55.4%, came from out-of-state donors while $3.7 million, or 44.7%, came from within the state, according to the newspaper’s analysis of state campaign filings. > > Of the $3.6 million brought in by Burke, a Democrat and former Trek bicycle executive, donors living outside Wisconsin gave $1.2 million, or 34%, and in-state donors gave $2.4 million, or 66%. So Walker “winning” out of state 4 to 1 and in-state 3 to 2. No doubt Walker is also winning the dark money game, but we don’t know by how much and never will know. (Unless the IRS gets its act together and takes away the tax exempt status of political “social welfare” groups.) With all that money to throw into the campaign it’s odd that Burke is keeping it so close. Of course Walker won the recall in 2012 when he had eight months to campaign compared to Barrett’s one month and outraised and out spent Barrett by something like ten to one. So perhaps he needs even more moolah to win this time. Interesting fight by Walker and Burke over outsourcing. [Scott Walker: Criticism of Mary Burke not a criticism of outsourcing](http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/on-politics/scott-walker-criticism-of-mary-burke-not-a-criticism-of/article_f03cad4e-3f49-51a6-9c16-a97a553d383a.html) Also interesting that the business person in this election is the Democrat and the life time politician is the Republican. Should be fun to watch. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/85 "2014-07-24T18:18:36Z")
Nothing odd about it. Money is important, but it shouldn’t be a shock when the underfunded candidate wins. It’s only in cases of truly outlandish disparities(like when one candidate has $2 million and the other has $20,000) that victory can usually be assumed. Walker will outspend Burke probably 2:1. Burke may still win if the voters don’t like the job Walker has done. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2014, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/86 "2014-07-26T16:28:33Z")
[WEDC/DWD award recipients hosting Walker fundraisers](http://www.wkow.com/story/25909342/2014/06/30/wedcdwd-award-recipients-hosting-walker-fundraisers) > [@](#): > > MADISON (WKOW) – Nearly half of Governor Scott Walker’s campaign fundraisers since April 1st have been hosted by people whose companies received financial awards from his administration. (FYI - WEDC = Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, Walker’s pet project, which he chairs.) and now, [Governor’s office clamps down on disclosures](http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/on-politics/governor-s-office-clamps-down-on-certain-travel-business-records/article_0fa75a61-50aa-558f-a2f4-8b2264ffd621.html) > [@](#): > > Citing security concerns, Gov. Scott Walker’s office is no longer releasing information about where he stays on out-of-state trips in regularly released calendars of his past activities. > > Also on the same calendars, Walker’s office is **no longer disclosing the names and phone numbers of companies that the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. is working with** on economic incentive packages . Covering his tracks. Makes it tougher to find out where his out of state moolah is coming from and which companies are paying to play with the WEDC. Whatever happened to “the most transparent administration in state history”? ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2014, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/87 "2014-07-26T18:53:33Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > Covering his tracks. Makes it tougher to find out where his out of state moolah is coming from and which companies are paying to play with the WEDC. Whatever happened to “the most transparent administration in state history”? Serious question – did Walker ever promise such a thing? ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2014, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/88 "2014-07-26T21:24:16Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Serious question – did Walker ever promise such a thing? Didn’t notice the date on this one, but it has to be sometime in 2014. [Running on transparency](http://www.rcfp.org/browse-media-law-resources/news-media-law/news-media-and-law-fall-2013/running-transparency) > [@](#): > > As a candidate for governor, Scott Walker said he “absolutely” would pledge to run the most transparent gubernatorial administration ever in Wisconsin. > > The former chief executive of Milwaukee County told The Lakeland Times during the campaign that he wasn’t just going to talk about transparency. “I don’t just say that, I’ve lived it,” Walker said, pointing to the fact that his administration posted all government purchases online. > > Press groups were initially skeptical when early in his term, they had to sue to get copies of e-mail messages Walker cited in speeches. The governor’s office claimed the messages would cost $30,000 to produce, and the Isthmus newspaper along with the Wisconsin Associated Press, sued Walker for violating the public records law. > > Since then, media reports continue to complain of closed government meetings and delaying the launch of a promised transparency website that would have required lobbyists to make public any attempts to influence state agencies. > > “Past the halfway mark in his term, the lobbying disclosure requirements are unchanged,” Dave Umhoefer wrote for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in April. “Neither Walker nor the Republican-controlled Legislature has acted on broadening the disclosure requirements.” > > The governor’s office could not be reached for comment. Walker is running for re-election this year. - Clearly it’s human nature to not want disclosure and, as a Democrat, I am very disappointed in the national administration. So, in this case, the “both sides do it” defense has some validity. This is from 2010: > **[Your Right to Know: How open will Scott Walker be?](https://madison.com/news/opinion/column/your-right-to-know-how-open-will-scott-walker-be/article_58a98a28-7f36-50ef-bad6-3335bf5fc7a8.html)** > > Scott Walker takes office amid hopes he’ll be a model of government transparency. We’ll have a better idea at this time next year whether those hopes are justified. > [@](#): > > My first question was a softball: “Will you pledge right now to run the most open, transparent gubernatorial administration in the history of the universe?” > > Gov.-elect Scott Walker’s one-word reply: “Absolutely.” > > In fact, it’s hard to imagine that Walker will not oversee a more forthcoming executive branch than his predecessor once he’s sworn into office Jan. 3. During his eight years in office, Gov. Jim Doyle and members of his administration increasingly operated out of a bunker, shunning media inquiries, defying the state open records law and keeping his whereabouts under wraps. I wonder what that reporter would say today. And, as I said, human nature. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2014, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/89 "2014-07-26T22:27:08Z")
As with all other elections in non-locked-districts/states, Walker’s re-election hinges on one thing and one thing only: how do the voters feel about the economic vector of Wisconsin? Given that the race is fairly close, that is all that matters. If Walker can convince the state that things are on a non-negative trajectory he will keep his job. If not, it seems likely he might end up the guest of some of those prison guards whose benefits he was working so hard to eviscerate. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2014, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/90 "2014-07-26T23:45:41Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > As with all other elections in non-locked-districts/states, Walker’s re-election hinges on one thing and one thing only: how do the voters feel about the economic vector of Wisconsin? Given that the race is fairly close, that is all that matters. If Walker can convince the state that things are on a non-negative trajectory he will keep his job. If not, it seems likely he might end up the guest of some of those prison guards whose benefits he was working so hard to eviscerate. I rather doubt that Walker would actually be imprisoned for using public employee time to work on his campaigns. I suspect even lying to investigators wouldn’t be considered criminal enough. A rising tide lifts all boats and, like the country as a whole, Wisconsin’s economy has been slowly improving. However, when compared to neighboring states and the country as a whole, Wisconsin’s economy is improving more slowly. Is that important enough to sway voters? ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2014, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/91 "2014-07-27T02:38:54Z")
More slowly compared to other REpublican states, but next to Illinois… Seriously, Illinois can be used in that region as an example of the dangers of Democratic rule in every campaign. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2014, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/92 "2014-07-27T06:13:06Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > A rising tide lifts all boats and, like the country as a whole, Wisconsin’s economy has been slowly improving. However, when compared to neighboring states and the country as a whole, Wisconsin’s economy is improving more slowly. Is that important enough to sway voters? What matters is not the numbers but how optimistic or pessimistic the voters feel about how things are. And, of course, if the whole state is intensely ambivalent, he will be re-elected by a margin of Waukesha. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2014, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/93 "2014-07-27T15:54:49Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > More slowly compared to other REpublican states, but next to Illinois… Seriously, Illinois can be used in that region as an example of the dangers of Democratic rule in every campaign. Minnesota is far and away the best comparison. Similar demographic and economic mix to Wisconsin. **[Right vs. Left in the Midwest](http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/24/opinion/sunday/right-vs-left-in-the-midwest.html?pagewanted=all)** > [@](#): > > But in 2010 these cousin states diverged. By doing so they began a natural experiment that compares the agendas of modern progressivism and the new right. Wisconsin elected Republicans to majorities in the Legislature and selected a bold and vigorous Republican governor, Scott Walker. Minnesotans elected one of the most progressive candidates for governor in the country, Mark Dayton of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. > > **snip** > > Obviously, firm answers will require more time and more data, but the first round of evidence gives the edge to Minnesota’s model of increased services, higher costs (mostly for the affluent) and reduced payments to entrenched interests like the insurers who cover the Medicaid population. > > Three years into Mr. Walker’s term, Wisconsin lags behind Minnesota in job creation and economic growth. [Revised and Updated Data Indicate Minnesota-Wisconsin Economic Activity Gap Increases](http://econbrowser.com/archives/2014/04/revised-and-updated-data-indicate-wi-mn-economic-activity-gap-increases) > [@](#): > > Moreover, in my 3/20 post on the Midwestern laggard (Wisconsin), I observed that the cumulative gap between Minnesota and Wisconsin was 1.8% as of January. The revised series released today indicate the cumulative gap between Minnesota and Wisconsin for January is now over 2.2% (vs. the previous 1.8%, both in log terms). Hence, Wisconsin’s underperformance was even larger than previously estimated. > [@](#): > > Update, 4:40PM Pacific: dilbert dogbert suggests adding in Kansas. Lo and behold, Kansas’s (under)performance currently “rivals” that of Wisconsin. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/94 "2014-07-28T02:52:14Z")
All state-to-state comparisons are valid if we’re going by level of improvement. And while Minnesota stacks up okay to Wisconsin, it gets left in the dust by Indiana, the Dakotas, and Michigan, which according to your argument should be at a disadvantage since it has similar demographics to Illinois. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/95 "2014-07-28T17:01:47Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > All state-to-state comparisons are valid if we’re going by level of improvement. And while Minnesota stacks up okay to Wisconsin, it gets left in the dust by Indiana, the Dakotas, and Michigan, which according to your argument should be at a disadvantage since it has **similar demographics to Illinois**. I would dispute the highlighted portion. Show me where Wisconsin is more akin to Illinois than Minnesota. You might more profitably compare Illinois and Michigan which seem somewhat similar. In Michigan they’re cutting off water to folks’ homes, imposing city managers and going bankrupt. Illinois certainly has its serious problems as well, no doubt. (Start with the gun murder rate.) ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/96 "2014-07-28T22:15:06Z")
That’s what I meant, Michigan vs. Illinois. Michigan certainly has great problems, but all of those problems were inherited by the current administration and things have gotten a lot better. Whereas in Illinois, they inherited a lot of problem and things haven’t changed all that much. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/97 "2014-07-29T01:23:06Z")
What’s that you say, things in Michigan have gotten better? No, wait, a _lot_ better! Now, \*that \*would be a cite for sore eyes! ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/98 "2014-07-29T14:25:52Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > That’s what I meant, Michigan vs. Illinois. Michigan certainly has great problems, but all of those problems were inherited by the current administration and things have gotten a lot better. Whereas in Illinois, they inherited a lot of problem and things haven’t changed all that much. Poppycock and balderdash, I say! Snyder had the good fortune to be in office when the car industry rebounded. He inherited a recovery. All he has done in office is appoint thugs in charge of financially unstable cities, resulting among other things in the theft of a lakeshore park in Benton Harbor to build a golf course for the elite. He has clobbered seniors by taxing their pensions and homeowners by virtually eliminating the propery tax credit. Worst of all, he rushed a union busting right to work bill through. He’s a one-termer in my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/99 "2014-07-29T15:03:57Z")
I won’t say Snyder’s a magnificent governor. Neither is Walker. But the policies enacted by the legislatures and enforced by the GOP governors are pro-growth, and naturally, growth results. Whereas the policies in Illinois are anti-growth, so it shouldn’t be surprising that Illinois’ neighbors are the only beneficiaries of their policies. When the government exists primarily to promote the interests of the government itself, nothing good can come of that. Minnesota is Democratic-run, but Minnesota has a bit of a “maverick” history. They elected Jesse Ventura after all! Illinois represents Democratic machine politics at its worst, and Wisconsin wasn’t much better before Walker’s reforms. It looks like Illinois will be electing a Republican governor. It would be a shame for other states in that region to go backwards when Illinois is finally waking up. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184/100 "2014-07-29T15:53:37Z")
Kansas under Brownback is “waking up”, too. Waking up screaming. And this: “…GOP governors are pro-growth, and naturally, growth results…” is rather more controversial than you suggest. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-scott-walker-be-re-elected-governor-of-wisconsin/691184.md?page=6)