Walker Talks Future Plans Following Presidential Bid

Gov. Scott Walker says he doesn’t want a cabinet position if a Republican is elected president has no interest in running for U.S. Senate, but he won’t rule out running for vice president or another future campaign for the presidency.

Walker made his remarks to reporters during a stop at a manufacturing plant in Beaver Dam — his first press conference since dropping out of the race for president on Monday. He made similar remarks recently to GOP donors.

It was just a year ago that Walker was asked about his future plans under much different circumstances. In the thick of a tough re-election bid, he said he “planned” to serve his full second term as governor, only to begin laying the groundwork for his presidential bid days after the election.

Asked Friday whether he was giving himself similar wiggle room to take a Cabinet post, Walker was more adamant.

“No, I made it clear,” Walker said. “I don’t want to be in the Cabinet. I don’t know how more crystal clear I can be on that.”

Walker also seemed to close the door on running for U.S. Senate in 2018.

“All the governors I’ve talked to who’ve told me they went from governor to United States Senate have told me how miserable they are,” Walker said. “I have no interest in being miserable.”

Walker was less firm when it came to other plans, including whether or not he would accept a nod for vice president if asked.

“Who knows who the nominee is or who that person would want or not want in terms of their running mate?” he said.

Just months ago, Walker was more willing to speculate, telling reporters that he’d consider sharing a ticket with Florida U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio.

Walker also left the door open to running for a third term as governor, saying that with three years left in his term, it was too early to make that call.

“That’s a long ways off,” Walker said.

The governor also did not rule out another run for the presidency.