Walker: ‘Very Interested’ in 2016, Says Voters Want Candidate ‘Outside of Washington’

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker (R) stated that he was “very interested” in running for president in 2016 and said that voters want candidates “who are from outside of Washington” on Tuesday’s “Hannity” on the Fox News Channel.

Asked about his 2016 presidential ambitions, Walker said “I’m very interested for very much the same reason that some five years ago Tonnette and I sat down and talked and ultimately prayed about getting into the race for governor because back then, we were afraid that our sons were growing up in a state that wasn’t as great as the one we grew up in. I’m proud to tell you, many years later now, because of our reforms, our state is better for them. But I have the same worries about this country for my sons today that I had for my state many years ago. I think we need new bold leadership from outside of Washington that’s proven to take on the challenges that we face in this country right now.”

He continued “the ideas that are going to transform America aren’t coming from people in Washington, they’re coming from our state leaders, and so the first step is to get out in those states, talk about that. But I think if there’s a sense out there, which I heard on Saturday, that people want not just dynamic speakers, they want people who have got a proven record, who have actually done something, not just talked about it, who are from outside of Washington.”

When asked whether he thought he could win, Walker responded “look at Wisconsin. I had almost universal support amongst Republicans. Heck, higher than any governor in the country in the 2014 election. Yet, in Wisconsin you can’t win with just Republican votes. We took double-digit, 12 point margin amongst self-identified Independent voters in our state and even a few discerning Democrats, because in the end, I believe what people in my state wanted last fall is what I think they want in this country, is they want leadership.”

Walker concluded by touting his accomplishments taking on Wisconsin’s unions and cutting taxes, and his emphasis on school choice, and saying he would decide on a run by mid-summer.

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett