The list of candidates seeking the Republican presidential nomination continues to grow, but at least one potential contender appears to be content with waiting a little longer before making it official.
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has repeatedly said he plans to wait until mid-summer before making a decision on whether to run for president. With other candidates announcing though, including some high profile names that could draw support away from Walker like Florida Senator Mark Rubio and Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, Marquette University Law School political scientist Charles Franklin says there could be some pressure to move up that time table.
The biggest indicator may be where the governor continues to stand in the early polls. “Unless you saw him falling off in the polls, he’ll probably be reluctant to change those plans,” Franklin says. Still, he notes that Texas Senator Ted Cruz saw a big bump in his polling numbers after making his announcement last month.
Despite being an unannounced candidate, Franklin says Walker is still making a strong showing across the country talking to conservative groups. “He’s probably accomplishing 95 percent of what he wants,” Franklin says, without formally being in the race. He questions “What could he do as an official candidate, that he’s not already doing?”
Governor Walker has announced plans to continue traveling the nation in the coming months to speak at conservative events. He’s also on a European trade mission this week, with a trip to Israel scheduled for later this spring.