Republican Walker exits 2016 presidential race

So which Republican candidate will reap the benefits?

In other words don’t be surprised if more Republicans drop out in between now and Halloween as the Republicans Party is rapidly winnowing the field of potential nominees.

Walker has a proven and successful record of conservative reforms in Wisconsin, a blue state typically hard for conservatives to govern.

However, he failed to shine in the first two televised Republican presidential debates and appeared indecisive on several major issues.

Some of Walker’s fans are blaming Trump for knocking him out of the race (or blaming the voters who left a successful governor for a blowhard). “With that in mind, I will suspend my campaign immediately”, Walker said. “He reminds me of (former Democratic President) Harry Truman”. He’s followed by almost 40,000 on Twitter, liked by more than 65,000 on Facebook and a recent Youtube video was viewed by over a million people. She was not alone.

The same day Walker bowed out of the race, one of his state campaign co-chairs signed on with Marco Rubio.

“Everybody is being diluted by Mr. Trump and Dr. Carson”, List said.

JORDAN MELKEBEKE: I mean, I don’t know too much about it so I guess I can’t really say that I have a strong opinion about it.

That could either be a bad omen or an opening for another governor who impressed conservatives by taking on public employee unions while enjoying electoral success in a blue state – Chris Christie. Both former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and current Florida Sen. ‘He bounces things off her, and he always gets an honest answer, ‘ said a friend of the couple.

Scott Walker told top donors Wednesday that he wants other struggling candidates to drop out of the presidential race so Republicans can coalesce behind an alternative to Donald Trump. He called Rubio, who promotes himself as a Cuban-American raised in a humble family, inspiring.

A quick look at the polls shows the remaining candidates from the “kids table” second-tier debate – Lindsey Graham, George Pataki, Bobby Jindal, Rick Santorum – are all stuck in the 1% or less club.

“Gov. Walker has spent more time out of the state, and I’ve heard some complaints about that, I’m not going to lie”, said Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos. That role was expected to be filled by a more “conventional” candidate – someone like Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, an early favorite based on his courageous battles against unionists in his state.

Now that Walker’s out, are there certain candidates who could benefit? This is not entirely surprising after yet another underwhelming debate performance.

If not Christie, Holmes predicted, one or more of the candidates who have held public office may be in a better position to inherit Walker’s supporters in Iowa.

And Rubio, Bush, Fiorina and perhaps a couple others still in the race should feel reasonably optimistic about their chances of finishing at the head of the pack, despite their slow start out of the gate.