Walker

James Hohmann reports at Politico:

He can’t use the Senate soapbox to rack up media hits and political points, like Rand Paul or Marco Rubio. He isn’t poised to run up the score in his reelection campaign as a show of strength heading into 2016, as Chris Christie intends to do this November in New Jersey.

But Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s game plan for the next three years is quietly taking shape: Win reelection next year in this purple state without moderating a record that has won many hearts in the conservative base; let the other GOP hopefuls get sullied by the mud pit of Congress and each other; then pounce in 2015.

That, in essence, is the outline of the likely presidential contender’s game plan that emerged from interviews with multiple people in his orbit.

Sean Sullivan writes at The Washington Post:

If Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) runs for president in 2016, his theme will likely be some version of this: “No” is not enough for the GOP.

“You don’t just sit back and nick the other side — you’ve got to lay out a plan,” Walker said Monday on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”

Walker added: “As governors, as state leaders, we’re more optimistic than our friends in Washington. We’re not just against something. We’re laying out a plan. We’re laying out a vision.”

Walker is rejecting two things. One is Washington, which is not surprising at all, considering how unpopular Congress is right now and how unpopular the Democratic-controlled White House is to the Republican primary voters whom Walker wants to win over.