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Scott Walker drops out of US 2016 presidential race | Scott Walker drops out of US 2016 presidential race |
(35 minutes later) | |
Once a considered a front-runner, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has decided to end his campaign for US president amid dwindling contributions and plummeting poll numbers. | |
Unlike some rivals, the Republican had a large and costly campaign operation. | |
He topped polls in the beginning of 2015 but lost popularity as Donald Trump began to dominate the race. | He topped polls in the beginning of 2015 but lost popularity as Donald Trump began to dominate the race. |
A recent CNN poll shows he had support of less than one half of one percent of Republican primary voters. | A recent CNN poll shows he had support of less than one half of one percent of Republican primary voters. |
Mr Walker rose to national prominence for his opposition to organised labour groups. | |
As Wisconsin governor, he sparked large protests after rolling back protections for public sector unions. | |
He overcame a recall attempt in 2012 by his political opponents and was later re-elected as governor in 2014. Those successes were often touted as central to his appeal as a presidential candidate. | |
Analysis: Anthony Zurcher, BBC North America reporter | |
One of the mighty has fallen. Earlier this year Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker was considered a top-tier presidential contender with the potential to unite the establishment and grass-roots wings of the Republican Party. | |
Instead, the governor is heading back to Wisconsin months before Iowa - a nearby state he once was a favourite to win - holds its first-in-the-nation caucuses. | |
The post-mortem reports on the Walker campaign will likely focus on the candidate's numerous public missteps after he shot to prominence in early 2015 - such as comparing his state's union protestors to Islamic State militants and taking no position on the theory of evolution. | |
His support didn't crater until his lacklustre performance in the first two Republican debates, however, when he seemed unwilling or unable to vie for attention on the crowded stage. | |
Reports abounded that his donors were starting to look elsewhere - to competitors like former business executive Carly Fiorina, Florida Senator Marco Rubio and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson. Mr Walker was likely facing a cold truth. He had built the infrastructure for a national campaign, but the money to run it was about to dry up. | |
He rocketed to first place in early polling after a rousing speech touting independence from the government to the Iowa Freedom Summit in January. | |
However, Mr Walker, an elected official since 1993, struggled to gain traction as Republican voters gravitated toward political outsiders like Mr Trump and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson. | |
He was also criticised for shifting positions on several key issues including immigration reform. | |
He originally said he wanted to make a pathway for undocumented immigrants to gain legal status and then said he only supported securing the border. | He originally said he wanted to make a pathway for undocumented immigrants to gain legal status and then said he only supported securing the border. |
Mr Walker joins Rick Perry, the former governor of Texas who also recently dropped out of the race. | Mr Walker joins Rick Perry, the former governor of Texas who also recently dropped out of the race. |
Fifteen Republican candidates remain. | Fifteen Republican candidates remain. |