‘Gaps’ in GOP field present opening for Scott Walker

On one side you have the establishment candidates favored by the business class of Republicans – Jeb Bush and Chris Christie. But social conservatives and tea party supporters remain wary of them. They would instead prefer a candidate more along the lines of Mike Huckabee, Rick Santorum or Ted Cruz. But mainstream Republicans have doubts about their electability in a general election campaign.

Walker is betting he can shoot the gap by appealing to both wings of the GOP. It’s a formula that has worked for him in Wisconsin, says Charles Franklin, the director of the Marquette Law School poll.

“Walker is someone who has strong support in Wisconsin among Christian conservatives and social-issue conservatives,” Franklin notes. “And yet he also has strong support among the business community.”

Walker will have the opportunity to quell any doubts as he makes the rounds to early voting states and meets with conservative activists. He is scheduled to speak at a New Hampshire GOP rally in March and attend the Southern Republican Leadership Conference in May.

The real test for Walker and other lesser-known candidates, says Madden, will come once the primary debates begin. “The ability to make that case in a debate setting will be a huge opportunity for candidates who right now don’t have a fully developed profile,” Madden notes. “For the candidates in the single digits, they have to seize that opportunity.”

CNN