Walker easily wins GOP endorsement (Green Bay Press-Gazette)

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By SCOTT BAUER

MILWAUKEE - Scott Walker promised to ship liberals out of town on a rail in a speech to Republican Party delegates Saturday before he overwhelmingly won their endorsement for governor.

Walker, who hit on his campaign themes of personal and government frugality during the GOP state convention, easily captured the party's backing over his main opponent. Former U.S. Rep. Mark Neumann said earlier this month he was bowing out of consideration for the endorsement, though he still addressed the convention, and his name remained on the ballot.

The endorsement gives Walker access to money, volunteers, voter and donor lists, and other party resources to bolster his campaign. Both candidates will still appear on the Sept. 14 primary ballot.

"It is time to take back our government," Walker said to the Frontier Airlines Center crowd of 1,500 attendees who greeted him with raucous applause, ringing bells and waving signs. "It is time to put government on the side of the people."

Walker captured 91.3 percent of the delegates' vote. Neumann received just 1.8 percent. Nearly 6 percent voted not to make an endorsement.

Milwaukee County GOP chairman David Karst said he believes the party will unite behind Walker.

Walker has served as Milwaukee County executive since 2002. Before that he served nine years in the state Assembly. Neumann was in Congress from 1994 to 1998. After unsuccessfully challenging U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold in 1998 he returned to his Milwaukee-area homebuilding business.

Neumann entered the governor's race in July, while Walker has been working on it since he dropped out of the 2006 governor's race.

Kenosha County GOP chairwoman Kathy Carpenter endorsed Walker more than a year ago.

"He's speaking the language that the rest of the nation and the state is speaking right now," she said.

The winner of the Republican primary will most likely face Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, the only major Democratic candidate, in November's general election.

Neumann has tried to position himself as a conservative outsider and attempted to eschew connection with the Republican Party. His decision to drop out of the endorsement process was part of that distancing strategy.

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