The Wisconsin Governor is making sure Virginia Republicans know he means business in the Old Dominion.
Last week, Walker tapped former Attorney General nominee and current Sen. Mark Obenshain (R-Harrisonburg) as Chairman of his Virginia campaign. Obenshain’s support is a huge prize for any candidate, as he is universally well-liked and has a personal network of political allies across the state that is second to none. Smart move by Walker.
The pick also shows that Obenshain continues to think about the future. Alignment with Walker is all upside for Obenshain, with very little risk. Walker is among a handful of candidates with a good chance of winning the GOP nomination, and like Obenshain himself, Walker is demonstrably conservative without some of the trappings that alienate the more moderate wing of the Party. Even if Walker loses, Obenshain wins by increasing his stature by associating with a credible, well-liked national figure like Walker.
This week the Walker campaign announced the hiring of Chris Leavitt as their statewide coordinator. Leavitt is a veteran of Ed Gillespie’s 2014 near-upset in his bid to unseat Sen. Mark Warner, and before that ran Obenshain’s 2013 race for Attorney General. Leavitt is young, but an experienced hand who will serve Walker well.
Topping off a good week for Walker in Virginia will be two events this weekend. First, a midday fundraiser in Charlottesville, followed by a late-afternoon visit to the Prince William Area Young Republicans’ Jeffersonian Grillfest:
At least when it comes to organization, Walker so far is showing he has a considerable lead on the other campaigns in Virginia. While other candidates have begun quietly hiring staff and tapping top advisors, none have made the kind of high profile splash that Walker has.
That will change soon, of course. Stay tuned.
