Gov. Scott Walker, R-Wis., is leading a new poll of likely Republicans voters in Iowa.
So will he run for president?
Walker told Martha Raddatz on ABC News’ “This Week” on Sunday that he is still in an “exploratory process.”
Walker said the American people are looking for a candidate with “new, fresh leadership with bold ideas and the courage to act on it.”
“You can give speeches all you want,” said Walker. “People want people who lead. They don’t need to agree with you 100 percent of the time on every issue. … I don’t think they want government telling them what to do.”
Walker said he isn’t intimidated by a wide-open field of many GOP hopefuls or presumed Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.
“If we’re going to take on a name from the past, which is likely to be former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, I think for the party we need a name for the future,” said Walker.
He called Clinton a product of the 20th century who “embodies all the things that we think of Washington: She lives here, she’s worked here, she’s been a part of the Washington structure for years.”
Raddatz asked Walker what the odds were he would seek the presidency.
“Ninety-nine percent?” she asked.
“I don’t know if I’d take the odds,” said Walker. “I would just tell you one thing: After three elections for governor in four years in a state that hasn’t gone Republican since 1984 for president, I wouldn’t bet against me on anything.”
The poll was conducted before former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the 2012 GOP nominee, announced that he would not seek the presidency again.
Walker recently gave a speech at the Iowa Freedom Summit that was widely praised by conservatives.
