Scott Walker (R)

Wisconsin Governor (since January 2011)

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Why He Matters

A career politician who has served in both the Wisconsin legislature and as Milwaukee county executive, Walker won the 2010 gubernatorial race the year when Wisconsin's the GOP captured the the entire state government.

Walker was an active lawmaker in the state Assembly and a fiscal conservative who took over as county executive in the middle of a pension-funds scandal. He conquered skepticism during the 2010 campaign about his lack of a university degree, instead focusing on his resume as a public servant.

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Background

At a Glance

Career History: Milwaukee County Executive (2002-2010); Wisconsin State Assemblyman (1993-2002)
Birthday: November 2, 1967
Hometown: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Alma Mater: attended Marquette University
Spouse: Tonette

Religion: Baptist
Office: Office of Governor Scott Walker115 East CapitolMadison WI 53702(608) 266-1212
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Path To Power

As a politician, Walker has faced criticism over the fact that he remains one semester short of earning his bachelor's degree. During the 2010 gubernatorial campaign, he also refused to release transcripts from his time at Marquette University, where he said his GPA was 2.59 when he left. He is the first Wisconsin governor in 64 years without a university degree, and before the election, a review of sitting governor biographies showed that only three were without a B.A.

Walker began his professional career when he dropped out of Marquette University to work for the American Red Cross during his senior year. After working in the private sector for several years, he won a special election to the Wisconsin Assembly in 1993.

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The Issues

Walker is a fiscal and social conservative. He opposes abortion rights and supports the Second Amendment, as well as preserving rights for hunters, trappers and fishermen. He believes Wisconsin should be responsible for managing its own deer and wolf populations without outside interference. He cites this as one key component to building a strong tourism economy for the state.

Health Care

Walker opposes the Obama administration's health-care reform bill and has spoken against a mandatory health-insurance exchange, saying "Most of us feel, if it's going to happen, I'd rather have the states be in charge of it and narrow the scope so it's as free-market as possible."

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Education

Walker supports opening up educational options to parents and families through vouchers, charter schools and virtual charter schools and by removing enrollment and eligibility caps on charter schools.

State Budget and Taxes

With a record of bringing Milwaukee out of an economic downturn fueled by his predecessor's corrupt leadership and balancing the city budget, Walker is a staunch fiscal conservative interested in saving money above all else.

As one of his first acts as governor-elect, he made what was seen as an aggressively partisan move when he rejected already-approved federal funding to build a high-speed train between Milwakuee and Madison. Walker called the $810 million in stimulus funding too excessive and urged the federal government to redistribute the money to road projects in other states, though it was instead put towards other high-speed rail projects in other states.. Outgoing Gov. Jim Doyle (D) said the rail-line would stimulate Wisconsin's economy and create 5,500 jobs, but Walker had promised even during his campaign to refuse the money that he claimed would eventually be a burden to taxpayers.

He has also threatened to reverse the state's budget deficit by forcing state employees to pay more for their health-care pensions. However, Walker opposes forcing consumers to help share the state's burden and has spoken against raising the Wisconsin sales tax.

Collective Bargaining

In February 2011, Walker made national headlines and caused a political tempest when tens of thousands of teachers stormed the state Capitol to protest the governor's measure eliminating the collective bargaining rights of public employees.

Under Walker's plan, which is aimed at closing a $3.6 billion state budget deficit, most public workers (except for police, firefighters and state troopers) would shoulder half of their pension costs and at least 12 percent of their health-care costs and lose bargaining rights for anything but their wages. The plan would also end automatic paycheck deductions for union dues.

But as protests gathered strength, and Democratic legislators fled across the Illinois line in order to deny the GOP-controlled legislature a quorum to act on the bill, President Obama got involved, deploying his political operation to Wisconsin and other states considering similar measures.

The Network

Walker was heartily supported by the Wisconsin Republican Party during his 2010 gubernatorial campaign.

Wisconsin GOP Reps. James Sensenbrenner and 112th Congress House Budget Committee Chair Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) endorsed him during his 2010 race.

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Additional Resources