Here are some of the issues that will be discussed on today’s edition of The Chad Hasty Show.

Scott Olsen, Getty Images
Scott Olsen, Getty Images
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Can Walker Stop Trump?

Can Scott Walker end Donald Trump's rise in the polls? According to the Washington Examiner, Walker has the resume that could end Trump.

The Wisconsin governor is well suited to put an end to the Trumpnado. He offers a blue-collar, can-do conservatism. He appeals to various wings of the party. And most importantly, he can take away immigration as Trump's signature issue.

Walker's tentative embrace of a populist immigration position isn't without political risks. But right now he is the only top-tier presidential candidate who is speaking to the four-fifths of Republicans who are dissatisfied with current immigration levels without derogatory rhetoric about immigrants. The Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., approach Walker has taken pins the blame for our present immigration problems squarely on big business and big government.

Think Walker is unreliable on immigration? Trump has offered no substance as to what he would do about immigration other than demagogue the issue. His current position is basically an accident, coming after hitting Mitt Romney from the left on immigration after the 2012 presidential election.

I believe that Donald Trump's numbers will begin to crater soon no matter what Walker does. Once people figure out that Trump is no conservative, they will run away from him. If Walker embraces the fighter image that Trump now has, I could see a lot of Republicans voters look his way.

Fundraising

Chris Cillizza at the Washington Post is most impressed by the fundraising numbers released by the Cruz campaign than any other candidate.

Jeb Bush's fundraising totals for the first half of 2015 were eye-popping: $114 million raised ($103 million of which came through his Right to Rise super PAC) with a stunning $98 million in the bank.

But, as amazing as Bush's haul was, it's Texas Sen. Ted Cruz's fundraising totals that stood out to me as the most important money number from the June reports filed with the Federal Election Commission.

Cruz raised $14 million through his campaign committee and another $37 million through a constellation of super PACs set up to aid his campaign. That total of $51 million raised put him second behind Bush in total fundraising over the first six months of the year -- ahead of the likes of Marco Rubio, Rand Paul and Scott Walker.

Cruz's ability to raise large amounts of money -- through both a campaign account and super PACS -- not only differentiates him from other ideological warrior candidates of the past but also gives him a real chance at breaking into the top tier of candidates as the race continues.

Let's tackle the first point, um, first.  Think back to the 2012 Republican primary. The candidate who most directly appealed to the base wound up being -- after much searching -- former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum. But, Santorum only raised $23 million for his entire campaign in 2012 and the super PAC spending on his behalf put in just $8 million. As a result, he was consistently financially outgunned by Mitt Romney, who went on to be the nominee.  Or go back to 2008 when former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee was the base's preferred candidate.  Huckabee spent just over $16 million on that whole race. (Super PACs weren't a thing back then.)  He was outspent badly by John McCain, who, yup, went on to be the party's nominee.

Cruz has already raised more money than either Santorum or Huckabee did for their entire campaigns. Sure, you, savvy reader, will undoubtedly note: But Jeb's fundraising is beyond anything any candidate did in either 2008 or 2012.  And you'd be right. But -- and this is really important -- Cruz doesn't need to match Jeb dollar for dollar. No one in the race will do that. What Cruz has to do is have enough money to fight back if/when Rubio, Walker, Jeb or all of them at once come after him. And, the early returns suggest he will be.

Money will help a candidate like Cruz stay in the race for a long time. If Cruz can win an early state in the primary? That win along with the money he has raised and will continue to raise will make him a top-tier candidate.

I still believe that it is too early to count Rick Perry or Ted Cruz out.

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These and many more topics coming up on today’s edition of The Chad Hasty Show. Tune in mornings 8:30-11am on News/Talk 790 KFYO, streaming online at kfyo.com, and now on your iPhone and Android device with the radioPup App. All guest interviews can be heard on our KFYO YouTube page after the show and online at kfyo.com.

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