Walker says he would campaign with Trump
Gov. Scott Walker said Monday that he would campaign with President Donald Trump if he comes to Wisconsin, despite recently saying he was unlikely to appear with national Republicans for the rest of the year.
The Republican governor pushed back against reports that he was trying to distance himself from the president as he campaigns for re-election during a Midwest Conservative Summit event at the Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee.
Walker said he expects Trump to visit the state to campaign, and insisted he would happily join him.
"If he’s here — I would imagine he’s probably going to be here for a U.S. Senate candidate — sure, I’d be with him,” Walker said during an interview with conservative pundit Charlie Sykes at the event, which was hosted by The Weekly Standard.
That's in contrast with what Walker recently told the New York Times.
Vice President Mike Pence was in Milwaukee last week to raise money for Walker and build public support for the Republican tax overhaul. Walker said Monday he would welcome the chance to do a similar event with Trump.
But on April 13, Walker told the New York Times the appearance with Pence would "probably" be his last one with a national figure, according to emails Walker sent to the newspaper that Walker's campaign released Monday.
"As for me, I’m not likely to campaign with anyone on the national level," Walker wrote.
His tone was different on Monday, soon after the New York Times reported Walker was unlikely to campaign with Trump.
“I would welcome the chance for the president to come to the state,” Walker said Monday. “I’d certainly would welcome the fact when you talk about Foxconn and other big employers coming in. He played a role in that. I think it’s a good thing for him to come to the state and talk about it.”
Democrats quickly accused Walker of flip-flopping on the issue.
“This is why Wisconsinites have no trust left in Scott Walker,” Democratic Party of Wisconsin spokeswoman Melanie Conklin said in a statement. “He changes what he says based on the room he’s in and will do or say whatever it takes to further his own personal ambitions.”
In his comments Monday, Walker specifically disputed the New York Times article that said Walker "has told associates he is unlikely to campaign with the president" — even though Walker was one of the sources for the story.
The Republican governor — who was first elected in 2010 and won a 2012 recall and a 2014 re-election bid — has been warning of a "blue wave," and trying to issue a "wake-up call" to conservatives to motivate them for this fall's midterm election.
He also insisted that voter frustration with Washington, D.C., doesn't necessarily amount to voter frustration with Trump.
“Part of it is including Republicanleaning voters who are upset with Washington, not necessarily the president or the House, but the Senate," Walker said.
Walker was one of the first Republican candidates to drop out of the 2016 presidential race, and made it clear that he was not a Trump supporter.
Trump repeatedly criticized Walker on the 2016 campaign trail, and Walker endorsed Ted Cruz a week before Wisconsin's primary. Walker skipped a Trump event in Green Bay in August 2016 so he could survey flood damage.
But their relationship has improved since then, and Walker has been hesitant to criticize Trump since he became president. Walker spoke on Monday about working with the Trump administration to bring the massive Foxconn Technology Group plant to Mount Pleasant.
It remains unclear which Democratic opponent will be the one trying to unseat Walker.
There are more than a dozen Democrats in a packed primary, and more — including Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett — may still get in the race.
Walker warned Monday that executives from Foxconn are nervous that a Democrat may unseat him. He also defended the $4 billion in state and local taxpayer money offered as incentives to Foxconn, saying if he's going to compete with other states he's going to play to win.