ELECTIONS

Scott Walker: 'I may have reformed myself out of a job'

Molly Beck and Patrick Marley

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Addressing members of the media for the first time after failing to win re-election in the 2018 race, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker addresses members of the media from his office in Madison.

MADISON - Gov. Scott Walker on Thursday returned to the public eye since losing an expensive and hard-fought bid for a third term — telling reporters he doesn't know what's next but doesn't see his loss as a "rejection."

"It was without a doubt a big election — bigger turnout than ever before — but the numbers we received a week ago Tuesday would have won the election four years ago, would have won the election eight years ago," Walker said in a 25-minute, wide-ranging interview. "In no way do I see it as a rejection, but rather just a larger electorate than we've ever seen in the past."

Following Walker's defeat, some Republicans have questioned the City of Milwaukee's late counting of more than 47,000 absentee ballots, which propelled Gov.-elect Tony Evers to a win. Walker said Thursday he had a team of lawyers look into it, but said it came down to "incompetence as opposed to corruption."

Walker, 51, said he isn't sure what he will do after leaving public office in January for the first time in two decades, but said he isn't planning to join President Donald Trump's administration.

He said instead of taking a trip to decompress after the Nov. 6 defeat, he spent the time helping his mother move into a new apartment following his father's death in October.

"More important than getting away from it all is getting into it," he said of spending time with his mother after the election loss. "I really don’t have much of an interest at this point in going to Washington."

Walker said he would consider proposals from Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) and Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) to approve in his remaining days as governor, but suggested none of the measures would be major.

"What have we not done?" Walker said, referring to major legislation altering the state's landscape for manufacturers, public employees and residents on welfare. "We’ve been such a reformer, I may have reformed myself out of a job."

Walker again pushed for lawmakers to pass a $70 million incentive package for papermaker Kimberly-Clark Corp. and said if the Legislature doesn't act by the end of November, "those jobs will be gone."

Earlier this week, the Baraboo School District came under fire after a prom photo taken in the spring of male students using a Nazi hand salute. Walker also weighed in on the controversy Thursday, saying the students' decision was "just stupid."

The photograph shows more than two dozen high school students standing in front of the Sauk County Courthouse smiling and laughing with their arms positioned in a way that mirrors the salute of Nazis.

"I think they're idiots. It's as simple as that. They're just a bunch of idiots," he said.

Moving forward, Walker said he would help Evers' transition team and that he and Tonette Walker would have Evers and his wife, Kathy, over to the governor's lakefront mansion to go over details of taking over the administration.

"It's like drinking water out of a fire hydrant," Walker said about first taking office in 2011. "Our staff has been working with his staff. ... We don't want to burden him until he's got some time to breathe."

On the prospect of Evers rolling back measures Walker championed, including possibly eliminating the state's job agency Walker created or altering the contract with Taiwanese tech giant Foxconn Technology Group, Walker downplayed the idea of significant change.

"The state of Wisconsin is not going to go backward," he said. "If I just chose not to run and decided to serve out my term without an election, I'd be very proud of what we've done in this state."