File:Governor of Wisconsin Scott Walker at Northeast Republican Leadership Conference in Philadelphia PA June 2015 by Michael Vadon 05.jpg

English: #SCOTTWALKER #NRLC #NRLC2015

Scott Kevin Walker (born November 2, 1967) is an American Republican politician who is the 45th Governor of Wisconsin. He is a two-term Governor, elected in 2010 and 2014, who also defeated an effort to recall him in 2012.

Walker began his political career in the state assembly, serving from 1993–2002. After the 2002 resignation of Tom Ament as Executive of Milwaukee County, Walker won the special election to fill the seat, which he held from 2002 to 2010.

Walker was elected governor of Wisconsin in 2010, defeating the Democratic nominee, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett. After being sworn into office in 2011, Walker introduced a budget repair plan which limited many collective bargaining powers for most public employees. The legislation led to significant protests at the Wisconsin State Capitol and an effort to recall Walker. In June 2012, Walker faced Barrett in Wisconsin's only gubernatorial recall election. After emerging as the winner, Walker became the only governor in the U.S. to date to win a gubernatorial recall election.

Walker is seen by many as a potential candidate for the GOP's nomination in the 2016 presidential election, having formed a 527 organization in January of 2015. On June 18, 2015 Walker took a further step towards a presidential campaign when he established a "testing-the-waters" federal campaign committee.

Republican leaders, candidates and campaign strategists are assembling in the City of Brotherly Love to give conservatives from its collar counties a glimpse of the party's rising stars and make the case for winning Pennsylvania in the 2016 presidential election.

A GOP win in the state would be the first in 28 years.

"We're making a commitment to Pennsylvania and other crucial swing states across the country," said Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus. "By investing in Pennsylvania early and engaging in every community across the state, we can make the inroads needed to win in 2016.

"Voters don't trust Hillary Clinton, and we are going to fight to elect a Republican president."

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who has won in a reliably blue state three times in four years -- twice in general elections and once on a recall vote -- leads in at least one presidential poll even though he won't announce his anticipated run until after his state budget is signed this summer.

"Americans are tired of the fighting in Washington because neither side can get anything done. They want someone who can fight and win for hard-working taxpayers like them. That's what we've done in a blue state like Wisconsin. We won the center, not by moving to the center but by leading," said Walker, 47, who grew up in Iowa and held a 7-point lead there over his nearest rival, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, in a late May poll by The Des Moines Register.

Iowa's freshman U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, a conference speaker, hosted Walker and other White House hopefuls for a barbecue and motorcycle-themed fundraiser a week ago. Ernst in November won a seat tagged to go Democrat.

"Republican candidates need to speak to the hearts and minds of the people and understand the challenges that they face every day, and be able to come up with solutions that work for them," said Ernst, 44, a mother and Army combat veteran of Kuwait and Iraq. "People will see that and like that, and that is who they will ultimately send to Washington.

"... We need someone to bring competency and leadership," she said. "We need someone who can show that America can be a leader."