What did we learn from Scott Walker’s very brief foray into presidential politics? And, what does the race for the nomination look like now that he’s gone? What we learned:

1. Candidates matter: I was one of the many out there that called the Wisconsin Governor an early frontrunner. So, what did I get wrong? On paper, he looked really good. I thought that his success in defeating public employee unions in his state would appeal to the restive Tea Party faction of the party, while his success at winning re-election (twice) in a blue state would get him plaudits (and cash) from the donor/establishment class. That was a great theory. It just never panned out. Some blame the rise of Donald Trump for Walker’s woes. And, while Trump definitely hogged the spotlight this summer, he wasn’t ultimately responsible for Walker’s sinking poll numbers. Walker’s problems were self-inflicted. He was terrible on his feet (witness the Canadian border fence and birthright citizenship imbroglios). And for a guy who boasted of being a “bold” conservative, he sure seemed willing to alter

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