Gov. Scott Walker said Monday he won’t leave the governor’s office to serve as a member of President Donald Trump’s administration, even if he’s offered the opportunity.
Walker told reporters in Madison he’s taken to heart advice from former governor and cabinet secretary Tommy Thompson, who told him his worst day as governor was better than his best day as U.S. Health and Human Services secretary.
“So I can unequivocally, without hesitation, tell you I will never willingly leave the role of governor through the end of this next coming term,” he said. “I’m running for re-election to serve a full term.”
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The governor also told reporters in 2014 he was committed to serving a full term as governor. That was shortly before he announced his bid for the presidency.
Walker was also asked Monday to weigh in on former FBI Director James Comey’s comments about Trump being unfit for office.
“I’ll leave that up to the people who are elected to federal office, since that’s a federal issue,” Walker said.
Eric Greitens Scandal
Walker was also asked to weigh in on the future of a fellow Republican governor, Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens, who has been accused of sexual assault and harassment.
Walker called the situation “horribly sad,” and said Greitens should resign from office.
“If those reports are accurate, and it seems like they keep reaffirming those, I don’t know how someone stays in that position,” Walker said. “I just think for the citizens of that state, it’s difficult if not impossible, for him to govern.”
Like other Republicans, Walker campaigned for Greitens in 2016. He also joined Greitens at a bill signing ceremony last year for a new law restricting union rights in Missouri.
Voter ID And Trump’s Election
The governor also addressed comments about Wisconsin’s voter ID law contributing to the 2016 election of President Trump.
Last week, Republican Attorney General Brad Schimel said voter ID helped Trump win the presidency. But Walker pushed backed on that, saying there were other factors at play.
“I think the president really connected, particularly with a lot of people in this state who felt like they had not been touched, nationally at least, by leaders from either political party,” Walker said. “And I think that, more than anything, is why those elections went the way they did.”
The governor also pointed to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton’s failure to campaign in Wisconsin after she lost the state’s Democratic primary.
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