Scott Walker drops out of 2016 presidential race
Scott Walker is dropping out of the Republican presidential race, multiple sources confirm to CNN.
The Wisconsin governor entered the primary in July as a front-runner in Iowa and a darling of both the conservative base and powerful donors after winning battles against public unions in his left-leaning home state. But that promising start was quickly dashed after poor debate performances dried up support from donors.
Walker has called a 6 p.m. ET news conference in Madison, Wisconsin, where he is expected to announce his decision to withdraw from the race.
The governor called some of his top supporters earlier Monday afternoon informing them of his decision, according to one Walker insider. This person said Walker’s recent plummet in the polls was a big factor in his decision-making.
He sounded “upbeat,” they said, and his message to supporters was, “I did the best I could.”
Walker made “the Pawlenty decision,” one strategist said, referring to former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s 2011 decision to drop out before piling up considerable debt.
This decision came as no surprise to people working in Madison, one of whom described the last several weeks as “agony.”
Moving forward, Walker said the best use of his and the party’s time would be to dedicate all resources to the eventual nominee.
Walker’s exit comes 10 days after former Texas Gov. Rick Perry became the first Republican to drop out of the 2016 race. It indicates the start of a winnowing process of a field that once numbered 17 candidates — many of whom have struggled to gain oxygen in a summer in which headlines and polls have been dominated by Donald Trump. With Walker’s departure, the field stands at 15 candidates.
