Scott Walker Clinches Lowest Seed In 2016 Primary Bracket

So... Wisconsin. We here at the Washington Bureau have largely averted our eyes from this particular race until now, preferring instead to ease ourselves into the abstract knowledge that Scott Walker was, in fact, rewarded for his behavior with another term in office.

While we're dipping our toes into that stagnant pond of electoral runoff, let's zoom out a little and see where Walker stands as Republicans, having laid in wait until after Election Day, are now poised to start their thoroughly un-subtle jockeying for presidential primary position in advance of the first 13-candidate debates in 11 months.

In spite of the Republican streak of putting the last cycle's runner-up on the ticket, we just can't envision Rick Santorum at center stage during the debates, Mittens-style, with a rotating roster of second-placers next to him. The centerpiece is almost certainly going to be Chris Christie, Scott Walker's home-stretch wingman. 

Even after Walker's petty complaints that having Chris Christie come to campaign in Wisconsin was nice and all but didn't mean anything if Christie didn't leave some cash on the nightstand on the way out, we see some rich comedy potential from this Odd Couple debate matchup. That is, if Walker can creep up in the polls enough to warrant a spot next to Christie rather than the Ron Paul position on one of the far flanks of the stage.

And watching Scotty's victory speech, tempered as it was with his story of a congenial accidental meeting with his opponentMary Burke on Election Eve, and his talk of how they were Wisconsinites first and Republicans or Democrats second, we started to think: now  this   is a guy you could send to a funeral in your place. We're guessing he's playing the long game, positioning himself as the most vice- presidential guy in the room. Shrewd.

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