If there were any doubts about Scott Walker’s early command in Iowa, Saturday’s ‘Roast and Ride’ event likely erased them. Joining newly-elected Senator Joni Ernst in the lead of hundreds of motorcycle enthusiasts, a 39-mile trek from Des Moines to Boone, Iowa was met with voter and media fanfare alike.
The event attracted seven of the GOP White House hopefuls, most of whom hosted their own tents in and around the main attraction. But Walker’s central role in the day’s events highlighted his every-man appeal and his own Iowan roots.
Walker continues to be one of three leaders in the crowded field. He joins Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio for a statistical tie in national polls, but his position in Iowa has launched him ahead of his nearest competitor in the RCP average by seven points.
The history of the Iowa Caucuses, however, is littered with early frontrunners who lost to come-from-behind candidates who caught late wind. Whether Walker can maintain his position as the head of the pack remains the question ahead of the first GOP debates.
