Bill Walker dropped out. The former state senator and tea party favorite from Wisconsin got re-elected twice to represent a state in which his party has lost control of both chambers of Congress.
But Walker's decision to bow to the demands of Tea Party Republicans is not surprising in Wisconsin.
Indeed, in the past 12 years, Walker has become one of the two most popular governors in the country, with 63% of respondents giving him the thumbs-up or thumbs down for his handling of public employment decisions and state budgets, according to Quinnipiac's new poll.
Only six percent of voters said they were more likely to back the governor for another term, though voters were just slightly more likely to back him for a third term than not.
The GOP presidential primary, on the other hand, is shaping up as one of the most intensely close in the party's 120-year history.
"The race between Trump and his Republican rivals has drawn a lot of attention, mainly through media coverage, but the Republican Party is facing a number of challenges in the next few weeks, especially among its key and influential voters, including young voters," said Patrick Murray, director of Quinnipiac University's polling firm.
