Scott Walker’s in big trouble: The danger of peaking in Iowa too early

[DonViejo]

The Wisconsin gov had been leading Iowa polls for six months, setting high expectations. Now that's over

JIM NEWELL

And just like that, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is screwed.

For about six months, Walker had been enjoying a comfortable, 5-10 percentage point early lead in Iowa caucus polls, spurred on by what some would call an “energetic” performance at this winter’s Iowa Freedom Summit. (“Energetic” in quotes because Scott Walker’s attempt to pitch himself as real, live, charismatic human being, instead of a decaying plank of wood, has been comical. Instead of showing human-like charisma, he speaks very loudly in his same, death-like monotone. It works for some people. Weirdos.)

Maintaining such a healthy lead in the first caucus state has its pros and cons.

It makes you the envy of the field, obviously, or at least that segment of the field that’s centered its early strategy on winning Iowa. Candidates like Mike Huckabee, Rick Santorum, Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, Rick Perry, Bobby Jindal and whoever else have been tricking out whatever stunts they could to gain more traction in Iowa, and in no way have they been able to get close the Walker.

But doing so well in Iowa for such an extended time this early in the process sets expectations. Such as: Scott Walker needs to win Iowa. And once that expectation is set, Walker has little choice but to run an Iowa-centric campaign pitched to evangelical voters, the sort of campaign that might not play as well in the long-term and could have damaging general election effects were he to win the nomination.

And now, almost overnight Scott Walker is out of first place in Iowa.

more
http://www.salon.com/2015/08/14/scott_walkers_in_big_trouble_the_danger_of_peaking_in_iowa_too_early/

[jberryhill]

1. Yeah, if you peak too early in Iowa, you'll only disappoint New Hampshire

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

2. Walker is so robotic

He has no passion whatsoever and no delivery. There's little his personal presence can accomplish and he might as well send tapes of his speeches.

[Liberal_in_LA]

5. and he looks stupid

[Marie Marie]

6. True that.

He has all the warmth and charisma of rusty steel. That and a face you're just dying to cover in a cream pie.

[BillZBubb]

3. The more people see of Walker, the lower he'll drop in the polls.

Koch money can only get you so far.

[Liberal_in_LA]

4. kick.