Scott Walker seems boring and mediocre to me

[ShadowRocket]

I have to agree. I think he still has a good shot at the nomination, but I also can't help but get the feeling that he'll be one of those overhyped candidates who quickly fizzle out.

[dmmidmi]

hey, screw you, some of us were history majors who realized we had to go to law school

Haha, definitely not hating on those folks - some of them are my closest friends.  I'm simply pointing out that maybe that is a more reasonable explanation for voters getting more Republican as their education increases but then sharply turning Democratic after a master's is thrown in.

That's simply not true.

According to (I'm guessing) the same exit polls you cited, white college grads voted 57-41 for the GOP, but whites without a college degree voted 64-34 for the GOP. The relationship is reversed for non-whites.

Additionally, when asked "Are you a college graduate?" the GOP led those who responded "Yes" 50-47, but led by an even larger 53-45 among those who said "No."

Furthermore, those who indicated that they attended college and those who didn't voted at the same rate (52-46) in favor of the GOP.

But, I commend you for leaving out details that don't support your argument.

[porky88]

Underestimate him at your own peril. He comes across as folksy on the campaign trail, but he’s ruthless behind the scenes. He’s not going to run to the polls. He’s going to try to turn those poll numbers in his favor. In other words, he isn’t Mitt Romney.

As stated, he has hurdles to overcome in the general election, but you can say that about any potential GOP nominee right now. I think he’ll do very well in the Republican primary, especially since his record will backup his conservative rhetoric.

[Representative Joe Mad]

hey, screw you, some of us were history majors who realized we had to go to law school

Haha, definitely not hating on those folks - some of them are my closest friends.  I'm simply pointing out that maybe that is a more reasonable explanation for voters getting more Republican as their education increases but then sharply turning Democratic after a master's is thrown in.

To be fair, I feel like a big reason as to why Republicans lead so much among the some college and grad categories has a bit more to do with the makeup of the electorate than with anything else.  While Republicans do tend to either lead just slightly College grads, and the Democrats consistently lead among Postgraduate students (as you said), I feel like it ultimately comes down more to how the election goes and demographics than anything else.  In 2006 and 2008, both good Dem years, Democrats won every educational level category, with the exception of a tie among College Graduates in 2006 (Democrats won college grads outright in 2008).  In 2010 and 2014, Republicans did well among most brackets, only losing out on those that didn't finish High School and the Post Graduates (again, as you said).  In 2004, a close win for the Republicans, Bush lost the no High School category by 1% point, carrying every other category until the Postgrad level.  Conversely, Obama in 2012 won every category (winning the some college category by 1% point) except college grads, which he only lost by 2% points.

So ultimately I think it has more to do with how the electorate looks than anything else.  In a close election, the results tend to be narrow, and when it isn't close, not so much.  Income really appears to be the same.  Granted, we all pretty much know the wealthy trend Republican and the poor Democrats, but exit polls from 2006 had Democrats carrying every category up to and including 75k-100k, losing 100k-200k by 4 points and the 200k+ by 8.  In 2004, Bush carried most every bracket by decent margins, losing the 30-50K by a single point.

As to whether or not Walker not having a college degree matters, I don't think it will.  I wouldn't vote for Walker, but the fact he doesn't have a college degree has nothing to do with it.

[IceSpear]

Any time the best attack somebody has is that they're "too boring", you know that person is a very strong candidate.

In 2012, Thune worried me the most because he was a young handsome presidential looking generic R with no baggage from "Real America". Other lefties told me that Obama would easily beat Thune because he was "too boring". Really? Compared to the socially awkward out of touch flip flopper, an extreme SoCon who lost his last election by 18 points, a guy who had an affair while his wife was cancer striken, a dumbass who can't even remember his own platform, the token black guy, a crazy lady, etc. the best you had was that he was "too boring"?

[Landslide Lyndon]

In 2012, Thune worried me the most because he was a young handsome presidential looking generic R with no baggage from "Real America".

Walker is neither. I think whoever called him Pawlenty Redux was spot on.

[pbrower2a]

The problem is not the skeletons in the closet; it is instead that his dirty tricks will continue. He is anti-union, anti-education, and anti-environment, which should cause him to please the Koch fronts as 'their favorite pupil'. 

A mediocrity makes an excellent stooge if his ambition and ruthlessness overwhelm his talent. Question: will Americans elect a corporate stooge in 2016?

[henster]

I think his failed jobs promise will haunt unless Wisconsin creates those 250K jobs by 2016 and much of Burke's economic attacks on Walker used this year will likely be used on a wider scale scale in a Presidential scale. There is also a sense of corruption around him.

[Ljube]

College dropout is a net positive. People who care about that aren't going to vote Republican anyway.

Being bland is not so bad. People can relate to him and he can come across as a regular guy, in contrast to 1%-er Hillary.


Weak on foreign policy is negative, so he’s going to have to improve his credentials in that respect.

This is the most unfounded and elitist post I've seen today.  You paint Republican voters as these uneducated yokels and Democrats as educated and affluent. 

So...you're offended that he suggested that Republicans wouldn't be snobby enough to vote against someone for not having a college degree?

Haha, no, he just seemed to be suggesting this class divide between Democratic and Republican voters that doesn't seem to exist, and if it does exist, it's the other way around from what he insinuated.

Actually, I suggested that snobby voters, who would not vote for Walker because he has no college degree, would not vote for a Republican candidate anyway.

However, less educated Democratic voters (blue collar), who otherwise wouldn't vote for a Republican candidate, might vote for Walker when they compare him with Princess Hillary.

That's why being a college dropout is a net positive. You lose no votes and you possibly gain some.


One other thing. I noticed you don't like Walker. Care to elaborate why?

[morgieb]

He's certainly overhyped by many on this forum.

[Stockdale for Veep]

He's certainly overhyped by many on this forum.

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Walker will enter the primary strong, the question is if he will flame out immediately like Pawlenty, flame out after a few months like Perry, Come close but fall to an opponent with stronger support like Romney '08, or actually win the nomination. To get the answer to that, all we have to do is wait.

Of course, he's not electable against Hillary in the general - he's just too conservative. He would be very competitive against anyone else though.

Kasich/Portman will give Hillary a real challenge, and republicans should nominate one of them. She'll beat Walker without any problem, achieving something around 347-191 in the EC, Kasich/Portman will at the very least hold Hillary under 300 EV's, and might even win.

[Maxwell]

Christie and him share similar space, but not only has Walker gone harder after unions, but he's had a level of success economically that Christie hasn't attained. Christie's charisma can only go so far to cover up the fact that his record is basically poison.

[Simfan34]

Eh, you aren't wrong. Walker's problem to me is he is too generic and doesn't have an interesting story or much charisma.

He didn't finish college, that is certainly "interesting".

[Clarko95 📚💰📈]

Eh, you aren't wrong. Walker's problem to me is he is too generic and doesn't have an interesting story or much charisma.

He didn't finish college, that is certainly "interesting".

He was about to finish and get his degree, but was offered a job and took it. Really not much to see there. Not like he dropped out because he was a failure; I'm sure he could go and finish up whatever credits remain. Then he can go on to lose.

[Brittain33]

Christie and him share similar space, but not only has Walker gone harder after unions, but he's had a level of success economically that Christie hasn't attained. Christie's charisma can only go so far to cover up the fact that his record is basically poison.

What is Walker's economic success? If you're talking about Wisconsin, it's been an economic laggard in the region.

[dmmidmi]

Eh, you aren't wrong. Walker's problem to me is he is too generic and doesn't have an interesting story or much charisma.

He didn't finish college, that is certainly "interesting".

And with this being said, I fail to understand how "Bachelor's degree" as a requirement for the Presidency is elitist.

Teachers have to have a bachelor's. Social workers have to have a bachelor's. Hell, most chain restaurant managers have at least some sort of college degree. Is it too much to ask the guy with exclusive access to the Doomsday Button to have cleared that hurdle?

[MurrayBannerman]

Eh, you aren't wrong. Walker's problem to me is he is too generic and doesn't have an interesting story or much charisma.

He didn't finish college, that is certainly "interesting".

And with this being said, I fail to understand how "Bachelor's degree" as a requirement for the Presidency is elitist.

Teachers have to have a bachelor's. Social workers have to have a bachelor's. Hell, most chain restaurant managers have at least some sort of college degree. Is it too much to ask the guy with exclusive access to the Doomsday Button to have cleared that hurdle?

Because the need for a college degree, in today's mentality, is a battle of opportunity cost. Most of us want them because it increases our chances - and is effectively necessary in this credential environment - to obtain work. In Walker's case, he obtained work before graduating effectively rendering that potential gain null to him.

It's honestly a more intelligent and prudent move than him going back and finishing.

[The Dowager Mod]

Not having a college degree will not keep him from winning, Being a crooked amoral sleazebag will.