Walker “not intimidated” by protesters or nation’s challenges

DES MOINES - Republican presidential candidate Scott Walker declared Monday he 'won't back down” when it comes to protecting America, changing the nation's economic course with 'common-sense” conservative reform or standing up to protesters trying to drown out his message.

'I am not intimidated by you, sir, or anyone else out there,” Walker told protesters attempting to disrupt his open-air 'soapbox” comments to Iowa State Fair attendees. Walker noted that most of the attendees listening were supportive of his message.

'We will not back down. We will do what is necessary to defend the American people going forward,” he said.

Walker, who was elected Wisconsin's governor in 2010 and survived a contentious recall election before being re-elected last year, said he would bring the same 'can-do” approach to the presidency that he did in implementing tax cuts and reforms to education, welfare, voter identification and budgeting that turned things around in his home state.

'There is only one candidate in this race who has fought and won and got results - even results in a blue-state like Wisconsin - and we did it without compromising our common-sense conservative principles. If you want someone who can win and get results and not compromise, I'm the candidate to send to the White House,” he told the onlookers who offered a mix of cheers, boos, whistles and some minor jostling at times during his 20 minutes on stage.

'I will fight for the American people over and over and over and over and over again. You want someone who's tested? I'm right here. You can see it,” Walker added.

'The left doesn't want me to be your nominee because they know I don't just talk, I deliver on my promises. I will do that as your next president going forward,” he said.

While criticizing President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the 2016 Democratic front-runner, for 'failing America” and 'leading from behind,” Walker also aimed some criticism at GOP leaders in Washington who have not lived up to 2014 campaign promises to repeal Obamacare and make other reforms.

'We need leaders in Washington who will stand up against the president and say, no, enough is enough. America wants you to stand up for your promises,” he said in expressing frustration with his party.

Walker has led some early polling in Iowa, which holds the first-in-the-nation precinct caucuses next February, but the latest CNN poll of likely Iowa caucuses attendees had him trailing GOP competitors Donald Trump and Ben Carson and slightly ahead of Carly Fiorina.

During his speech, Walker noted that he grew up in Plainfield in northeast Iowa and is in the process of completing a 'full Grassley” tour of Iowa's 99 counties.

When the crowd became boisterous at times during his Des Moines Register soapbox appearance, the Wisconsin governor said: 'This is why I love coming to Iowa, because you lay it right out there. There's no filter, there's no hiding behind the national media.”

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