Gov. Scott Walker will speak at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland this summer in what might be a show of party unity, according to a political analyst.
Many in the national GOP leadership has Wisconsin roots, with both the Republican National Committee chair Reince Priebus and U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan tied to Wisconsin, said Lara Brown, associate professor and interim director of the Graduate School of Political Management at George Washington University.
"It is no surprise to me that ... the governor is essentially being part of that show of unity, even though, you know, the sort of rationalization for it is really about being anti-Hillary (Clinton) and anti-the Democrats, not necessarily pro-Trump," Brown said.
Walker dismissed the notion that GOP presidential frontrunner Donald Trump could be replaced as the party's nominee after previously saying that delegates should be able to vote their conscience, according to The Associated Press. Walker said a vote for anyone besides Trump is a "de facto vote" for Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.
However, the Courageous Conservatives PAC has urged the Republican governor and former presidential contender to allow himself to be drafted as an alternative to Trump.
Walker's name is the only one being seriously mentioned as a person who could "unite all factions of the Republican Party," a spokesman for the political organization said in a statement.
Brown pointed to former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who ran for president in 2012, when considering Walker's resurgence following his presidential run. There were many who felt Pawlenty pulled out of the race too soon, she said. Had he stayed in longer, it's possible he could have gone further in the race.
"I think there is some desire among Republicans who are not ... beholden to Trump and are not interested in seeing him become the nominee to try to find somebody who is unscathed and somebody who has something of a more pristine, you know, record among Republicans," Brown said.
Walker is considered very favorably among national Republicans given his many successful elections, despite his failed presidential bid, she said.
Brown isn’t surprised the conservative group is making the attempt. Whether or not it will get the votes it needs from the Republican National Convention’s Rules Committee remains to be seen, she said.
"It's my understanding that those votes could be fairly close, but it's more likely that Trump will continue to prevail," Brown said.