WASHINGTON -- Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) disqualified several frontrunners and tea party favorites for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination on Sunday, saying he believed a current or former governor must fill that position.
"I think it’s got to be an outsider," Walker told ABC's "This Week" when asked about his ideal candidate for the Republican ticket. "I think both the presidential and the vice presidential nominee should either be a former or current governor -- people who have done successful things in their states, who have taken on big reforms, who are ready to move America forward."
Walker was asked if he was thereby ruling out possible bids from Republican Sens. Marco Rubio (Fla.), Ted Cruz (Texas) and Rand Paul (Ky.), all of whom are considered likely to seek their party's nomination in 2016.
"All good guys, but ... it’s got to be somebody who’s viewed as being exceptionally removed from Washington," he responded.
ABC's Jonathan Karl also asked Walker specifically about his Wisconsin colleague, Rep. Paul Ryan, who is also rumored to be considering a run for president and who served as 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney's running mate.
"I love Paul Ryan. Paul Ryan, if he had a fan club, I’d be the president of that," Walker said, though he added that Ryan also wouldn't meet his criteria for the ideal candidate.
Part of Walker's reluctance to encourage congressional Republicans in a presidential bid was their ill-fated strategy to shut down the government last month over Obamacare, which the governor thought was a mistake. He added that their refusal to compromise was a "real problem."
The Wisconsin governor survived a historic recall election in 2012 and is widely regarded as a presidential hopeful himself. On Sunday, Walker didn't rule out the possibility that he might run in 2016.
"I don’t rule anything out," he said.
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