Walker announces bid for presidency

WAUKESHA, Wis. – Scott Walker vowed Monday to fight for America’s interests abroad and for his conservative policies in Washington, launching a 2016 Republican presidential bid by highlighting his clashes with labor unions as his campaign taunted his Democratic critics.

The 47-year-old second-term governor embraced his “fighter” reputation as he formally declared his candidacy in an evening speech, his family at his side, and protesters gathered just outside the convention hall.

“We are running to serve as your president of the United States of America,” Walker declared.

“Americans deserve a president who will fight and win for them,” he said. “You see, it doesn’t matter if you’re from a big city, a suburb or a small town, I will fight and win for you. Healthy or sick, born or unborn, I will fight and win for you.”

He becomes the 15th high-profile Republican to enter the GOP presidential contest, yet claims to occupy a unique space in the congested field. He not only fights for conservative principles, he said, he also wins elections and policy debates in a state that typically supports Democrats.

Speaking in the same hall where he celebrated his successful recall election three years earlier, Walker left little doubt that his successful, if divisive, fights with labor unions would serve as the foundation for his presidential campaign. Through five years in office, he enacted policies weakening organized labor’s political power and became the first governor in U.S. history to defeat a recall election.

Labor unions spent millions of dollars to defeat him, but failed.

“Scott Walker is a national disgrace,” said AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, among the many detractors who lashed out Monday against Walker’s candidacy.

Walker also highlighted a series of lesser-known triumphs he said set him apart from the crowded Republican field.

He cut income and corporate taxes by nearly $2 billion, lowered property taxes, legalized the carrying of concealed weapons, made abortions more difficult to obtain, required photo identification when voting and made Wisconsin a right-to-work state.

His budget this year, which plugged a $2.2 billion shortfall when he signed it into law Sunday, requires drug screenings for public benefit recipients, expands the private school voucher program, freezes tuition at the University of Wisconsin while cutting funding by $250 million and removing tenure protections from state law.