Patrick Marley

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

MADISON - Departing Republican Gov. Scott Walker might be on the ballot again before too long.

He’s keeping his campaign accounts open and told The Associated Press on Friday that he wouldn’t rule out running for governor again in four years. He also said he would consider running for U.S. Senate in 2022 to replace Ron Johnson, who has said he would not seek a third term.

“I think it’s very much in the mix,” said one Walker ally familiar with his thinking. “From what I’ve heard, he and his close advisers are keeping all their options open at this point.”

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Walker narrowly lost his bid for a third term in November to state schools Superintendent Tony Evers. Evers takes over on Monday.

Walker made a brief run for president in 2015 but quickly dropped out as Donald Trump began his rise in the crowded primary field. Walker was critical of Trump at the time, but came to embrace him and now says he will work hard to re-elect him in 2020.

Walker’s polling numbers in Wisconsin dropped in the year after he made his run for president and in his most recent election, he strived to tell voters he wasn’t interested in anything other than being governor. He said he wouldn’t seek a fourth term if he won a third and told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in October he wouldn’t run for president in 2024.

At that time, Walker said he would consider going into the ministry or private sector after leaving office.

Now, Walker has signed on with a speaker’s bureau and says he will tour the country promoting smaller government and tax cuts.

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Keeping his campaign accounts open will allow him to continue to raise money and make political trips. Walker does not have firm plans to run again, but is considering the idea, said two people familiar with his thinking. They spoke on the condition that they not be named because Walker is keeping his deliberations largely private.

For now, Walker's main focus is on the short-term and finalizing which organizations he will work with as he promotes a conservative agenda, according to one person. But he's also thinking about possible runs.

Walker told The Associated Press it’s likely that Republicans will want a "new face" for the governor’s race in 2022 but said, “Who knows?” He said he's not ruling out any run, including the one for Senate.