--- title: Scott Walker: I Am Not A Flip-Flopper description: The Wisconsin governor responds to a jab from Jeb Bush canonical: https://time.com/3745054/scott-walker-jeb-bush/ author: Zeke Miller article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-03-14T17:50:29.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-19T07:42:33.130Z article:section: Politics og:title: Scott Walker: I Am Not A Flip-Flopper og:description: The Wisconsin governor responds to a jab from Jeb Bush og:url: https://time.com/3745054/scott-walker-jeb-bush/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5846fbf579dda8d6/6987814c5f570f904eb157f3/scott-walker-3.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2100 og:image:height: 1181 og:image:alt: Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker at the 42nd annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at National Harbor, MD on Feb. 26, 2015. og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Scott Walker: I Am Not A Flip-Flopper twitter:description: The Wisconsin governor responds to a jab from Jeb Bush twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5846fbf579dda8d6/6987814c5f570f904eb157f3/scott-walker-3.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Scott Walker in New Hampshire: I Am Not a Flip-Flopper > Sponsored content. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=284d97a7-fff0-4821-acab-9c1b3e0c500b&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Real TIME: Scott Walker At CPAC 2015 [Watch (HLS stream): Real TIME: Scott Walker At CPAC 2015](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/Em2MtXHb.m3u8) (0:59)  _Published 2015-02-28. Gov. Scott Walker shared his views on the economy, minimum wage, and and the partisan showdown in Congress over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's impending visit to the U.S. during his speech at CPAC._ by [Zeke J Miller / Concord, N.H.](https://time.com/author/zeke-j-miller/) ## Zeke J Miller / Concord, N.H. Mar 14, 2015 5:50 PM UTC  Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker at the 42nd annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at National Harbor, MD on Feb. 26, 2015. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker at the 42nd annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at National Harbor, MD on Feb. 26, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME by [Zeke J Miller / Concord, N.H.](https://time.com/author/zeke-j-miller/) ## Zeke J Miller / Concord, N.H. Mar 14, 2015 5:50 PM UTC Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker rejected the “flip-flopper” label Saturday after he shifted his position on immigration reform. Addressing reporters following a well-received speech to GOP activists at a gathering organized by the State Republican Party, Walker, who is all-but-certain to declare a presidential bid in the coming months, said those trying to brand him with the label work for opposing campaigns. “Just a narrative from the other campaigns that are frustrated with the fact that we’ve got a strong reputation of keeping our word,” Walker said in a response to a question from a reporter. Walker conceded that he switched his position on immigration reform, after saying earlier this month that he no longer backs proposals that would allow those who live in the U.S. illegally a path to citizenship, after supporting those plans in 2013\. “This is one where we listened to people all across the country, particularly border governors,” Walker said. “We saw how the President messed that up, and that’s an issue where I think people want leaders who are willing to listen to people.” The “flip-flopper” moniker is a particularly fraught one for presidential hopefuls. Mitt Romney’s [well-documented](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0m%5FxXvQlvg) record of changing position on policy was a thorn in his side in both of his White House bids. On Friday, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, an avowed supporter of immigration reform, pointed out Walker’s changing views in a conversation with reporters. “He’s changed his views on immigration, yes,” Bush said. Walker said claims that he had changed positions in other areas “ridiculous.” “I’ve always been a supporter of Right to Work, I was a sponsor of it,” Walker said. “I gave 300,000 union workers in my state the right to work four years ago, and I just signed it into law.” But for years, Walker had indicated he had no interest in pushing legislation that would prohibit agreements between businesses and unions that require employees to pay union dues. “My point is I’m not pushing for it,” Walker said during his re-election [campaign](http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/scott-walker-says-he-would-not-make-specific-jobs-pledge-for-2nd-term-b99343076z1-273606661.html?ipad=y) last year. “I’m not supporting it in this session.” ### See the 2016 Candidates Looking Very Presidential  Sen. Ted Cruz is surrounded by stars and stripes at the 2014 Values Voter Summit in Washington, D.C. on September 26, 2014. Mark Peterson—Redux  Hillary Clinton Hillary Clinton gazes pensively into the distance at Iowa Senator Tom Harken'a annual Steak Fry in Indianola, Iowa on September 14, 2014. Brooks Kraft—Corbis for TIME  Jeb Bush Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush flashes a power watch before giving his keynote address at the National Summit on Education Reform in Washington on Nov. 20, 2014. Susan Walsh—AP  Bernie Sanders waves to supporters after officially announcing his candidacy for the U.S. presidency during an event at Waterfront Park in Burlington, Vermont, on May 26, 2015. Win McNamee—Getty Images  Chris Christie New Jersey Governor Chris Christie strikes a presidential power stance at the ceremony for the opening of the 206 bypass in Hillsborough, New Jersey on October 28, 2013. Mark Peterson—Redux  Former Hewlett-Packard Co Chief Executive Officer Carly Fiorina listens to her introduction from the side of the stage at the Freedom Summit in Des Moines, Iowa on Jan. 24, 2015. Jim Young—Reuters  Rand Paul Sen. Rand Paul works a crowd during a campaign stop on October 24, 2014 in McDonough, Georgia. Jessica McGowan—Getty Images  Rick Perry Texas Gov. Rick Perry looks powerfully patriotic during the National Anthem before an NCAA college football game on Nov. 27, 2014, in College Station, Texas. David J. Phillip—AP  Bobby Jindal Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal looks to the future during The Family Leadership Summit on Aug. 9, 2014, in Ames, Iowa. Charlie Neibergall—AP  Martin O'Malley Maryland Governor Martin OíMalley ponders decorating ideas in front of his possible future home on CBS's Face the Nation on Feb. 23, 2014. Chris Usher—AP  Marco Rubio Sen. Marco Rubio looks determined the morning after the State of the Union address in Washington, D.C. on January 29, 2014. Melissa Golden—Redux  Ben CarsonBen Carson at the Conservative Political Action Committee annual conference on March 8, 2014. Susan Walsh—AP  Jim Webb Retiring Sen. Jim Webb imitates the presidential wave during a rally in Virginia Beach, Va. on Sept. 27, 2012. Steve Helber—AP  John Kasich Ohio Gov. John Kasich practices his presidential victory pose at the Ohio Republican Party celebration on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2014, in Columbus, Ohio. Tony Dejak—AP  Rick Santorum Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum looks resolute at CPAC, the Conservative Political Action Conference on March 7, 2014. Brooks Kraft—Corbis  Scott Walker Wisconsin Republican Gov. Scott Walker practices the presidential point on March 3, 2014 in Milwaukee. Jeffrey Phelps—AP  Mike Huckabee Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee fine-tunes his presidential oratory at the Conservative Political Action Committee annual conference in National Harbor, Md. on March 7, 2014. Susan Walsh—AP  Lincoln Chafee, Former Rhode Island Governor, poses for a selfie with a student after announcing he will seek the Democratic nomination for president in Arlington, Va. on June 3, 2015. Jonathan Ernst—Reuters  Lindsey Graham Lindsey Graham announced his plans to join the 2016 presidential race. Alex Wong—Getty Images  George Pataki Former New York governor George Pataki listens to a question at the First in the Nation Republican Leadership Conference in Nashua, New Hampshire, in this April 17, 2015 file photo. Brian Snyder—Reuters Walker has also come under scrutiny on his commitment to opposing abortion. Some social conservatives has highlighted his 2014 campaign ad which said he supports “legislation to increase safety and provide more information for a woman considering her options. The bill leaves the final decision to a woman and her doctor.” “I’m pro-life,” Walker told reporters on Saturday. “My position’s consistent on that. They’re taking an ad out there that talked about what the law did in the state which was endorsed by Wisconsin right to life.” On education, Walker’s first budget funded the implementation of the Common Core standards, now anathema to the GOP base. Walker has since backed away from supporting the standards, calling for a commission to review it in his state. Asked what the difference is between changing his mind and flip-flopping, Walker said the politically damaging charge shouldn’t apply when politicians are responding to voters. “I think the key is if you’ve listened to people and you have a valid argument for why you’ve done it—we’ve laid out exactly what we’ve done—but I think people want strong leaders and they want leaders who’ll listen to the people,” he said. Walker, who is on record opposing Ethanol mandates in Wisconsin, said last week in Iowa that he supports maintaining the Renewable Fuels Standard, before gradually phasing it out. Asked about the discrepancy, Walker said, “I didn’t enact it in Wisconsin.” “My position was about Wisconsin and my position was clear,” he continued. “What we’ve done in terms of what we said in Iowa was pretty clear as for going forward. Eventually we want the standard phased out, but right now it needs to be in place for Iowa.” ## Transcript [ MUSIC ] Today in Washington, we have a president who thinks we grow the economy by growing Washington. Well, I got news for him. We believe in America that is growing the economy in cities and towns and villages all across this great country. We think that's the way to go forward. [ APPLAUSE ] And we need a leader who understands that when the Prime Minister and leader of our long time ally asks to come to congress to share his concerns about Iran, we should show him and his country our respect. [ MUSIC ] I think arguing about how low wages are is a faulty argument. I'll let the left worry about how low they want people to be. I wanna have everyone in this country be able to live their piece of the American Dream, get the government out of the way, and help them get the skills they need to support their families going forward. 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