Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker, one of two announced Republican gubernatorial candidates, spoke on campus Tuesday about his campaign plans for the 2010 election.
Walker said he wanted to prioritize economic policies, and said he hopes to reverse the trend of businesses leaving the state.
""Our campaign and our administration is going to be like a wheel, and in the center of the wheel is going to be jobs,"" Walker said. ""All the other spokes are going to be things like education reform, higher education, transportation, agriculture, health care and tax reform.
We get pumped about the other issues, but jobs are the kinds of thing that wake you up in the middle of the night.""
Attendees said they appreciated Walker's employment-centered speech.
""Everyone is looking for jobs right now, and it's really tough out there,"" Tom Burton, a law student, said.
Walker said that, if elected, he will expect all bills that come to his desk to create or retain jobs for Wisconsinites.
""If it doesn't meet that task, it's not going to be a priority,"" Walker said, explaining his emphasis on jobs does not mean he will not deal with other issues.
Walker said the government cannot create jobs, and suggested the government must move out of the way of the private sector.
Senior Emily Monske, vice chair of UW-Madison's College Republicans, said she liked Walker's speech and was impressed by his focus on reviving Wisconsinites' faith in their future employment. She also said the format of his speech was better than other speakers she had seen in the past.
""It was really great that he focused on what he's going to do for the state of Wisconsin rather than [on] how we can get involved,"" Monske said. ""A lot of times that's what we hear from candidates on campus.""
Students for Walker, with the support of College Republicans, hosted the event. College Republicans will not endorse a candidate until after the primary election next spring.
