Can anyone beat Scott Walker?

Can anyone beat Scott Walker? Lots of people are willing to try. The list of potential democratic candidates continues to grow, with Madison Mayor Paul Soglin the latest to announce he plans to formally enter the race within weeks. It is already a crowded field, with a dozen democrats already in. Clearly, there are lots of people who want to see Walker out after two terms as Governor. But stopping Walker from getting a third term won’t be easy. Walker’s approval rating took a hit when he briefly ran for president (remember his idea to build a wall on the Canadian border?) but have since rebounded. Walker is a prolific fundraiser, has a huge campaign war chest, and in his role as chairman of the National Governor’s Association can tap untold resources in his bid for re-election. It is not clear that any of the democratic candidates can raise the kind of money Walker can. The 2014 race for Governor of Wisconsin saw candidates and PAC’s spending nearly $82 million on the campaign. Some predict next year’s election will see spending levels exceeding $100 million. While the democratic party may be energized and fielding lots of candidates, they will continue to drown out each other’s message until the party unites behind one candidate. Can anyone beat Walker? The short answer, so far, seems likely to be no.