Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said Monday his key to victory at Thursday’s Republican debate means not engaging with Republican frontrunner Donald Trump, or any other opponent, for that matter.
“I’m not going to take anybody, I’m going to say what I’m for,” Walker told Fox News’ Megyn Kelly when asked how he would handle the billionaire frontrunner.
Walker, who formally entered the now 17-candidate field last month, used the question as an opportunity to pivot back to his message of “fighting” for Americans. The fighting, he said, did not extend to scrapping with other Republicans, however.
“They don’t just want a fighter, they want somebody who can fight and win,” Walker said.
Walker has consistently polled near the front of the GOP pack, often running neck-and-neck with former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. But Trump has opened up a major lead in national — and early state — polling on both men. In the most recent Fox News poll, Trump received triple the amount of support of Bush or Walker.
Walker, who appeared on Fox following a candidate forum at St. Anselm’s College in New Hampshire, said he was getting ready for Thursday’s debate by relaxing. Downplaying expectations ahead of the primetime event, Walker laughed off Kelly’s question about debate prep. He said he plans on attending the opening of the Wisconsin state fair on Thursday and then fly to the Cleveland for the debate, co-hosted by Fox News and Facebook.
“The next couple of days, you just kind of relax,” he said.
