(Bloomberg Politics) — In his three elections over four years, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker took on unions, two Democratic opponents, and millions in spending by outside groups. Over the weekend, he seemed to have found his next target.
Less than a week after winning re-election, Walker seems to have already set his sights on the 2016 presidential race. Appearing Sunday on “Meet the Press,” Walker was asked whether he’d defer a presidential bid if his fellow Wisconsinite, Rep. Paul Ryan decides to run. Walker responded with some seriously backhanded praise, suggesting that Ryan might be too much of a Capitol insider:
“I love Paul Ryan. I’ve said many times before, I’d be the president of Paul Ryan fan club. But I do think if we’re going to beat Hillary Clinton in this next election, we’ve got to have a message that says, ‘Hillary Clinton is all about Washington.’” he said.
This wasn’t Walker’s only jab at a potential 2016 rival. In an interview published Saturday, he also criticized Republican governors who accepted federal funds to expand Medicaid under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) –a group that includes Ohio Gov. John Kasich.
Kasich has cast his decision in biblical terms, saying when he dies, St. Peter will ask how he helped the poor, not what he did to keep government small. “You better have a good answer,” he has said.