Walker touts Trump-Pence team to Iowa delegates at Republican convention

CLEVELAND - Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker told Iowa Republican convention delegates Monday that whatever misgivings they may have had about presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump during the caucus season, he is better than Democrat Hillary Clinton, even if he was 'your 17th choice.”

Walker, who ran an ill-fated presidential bid that ended before Iowa's Feb. 1 precinct caucuses, said his backing for Trump was boosted by the recent addition of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate, while an FBI report on Clinton's careless handling of sensitive documents via her private email server made her 'unfit” to be president.

And, he said, even though he backed Texas Sen. Ted Cruz over Trump in Wisconsin's primary, the presumptive GOP nominee is the best hope to enact conservative changes to cut taxes, curb onerous government regulations, reduce debt, balance the federal budge and return power to states.

'America deserves better than Barack Obama, and America deserves better than Hillary Clinton, that's for sure,” he said.

Walker conceded that Trump 'wasn't my first pick. I was my first pick,” but he noted that he pledged to back the GOP nominee and advised his fellow Republicans to do the same now that the primary season is over.

'It is clear that whether Donald Trump was your first choice or your second choice or your 17th choice, I hope you understand that Donald Trump is better than Hillary Clinton,” Walker said.

Walker, who will address the Republican National Convention Wednesday evening, said this week's GOP proceedings provide an opportunity to show Americans Republicans would offer a path to 'true freedom and prosperity” by empowering people to live their own lives, rather than turn over control to 'the mighty and clumsy hand of the government.”

'I think it's an incredible opportunity for us to show what a better America would be under Republican leadership,” he said.

Walker, whose family lived in Iowa for awhile when he was growing up, told reporters after his speech that he hasn't ruled out another run for the White House, but he plans to seek re-election as governor in 2018, so he would not seek another office in he wins another term.

'We'll have to see,” the Wisconsin governor said in regard to a future presidential bid. 'Somebody told me in September I could wait 20 years and I'd still be younger than Hillary. I don't know if I'll do that, but - if anything - I'll probably focus on running for reelection in 2018 as governor.”