Governors often make the best presidential candidates, because unlike members of Congress, governors actually DO things. They are executives who are responsible for managing a large bureaucracy and implementing policy.
The problem is that the modern GOP has become reflexively suspicious of ALL government activity.
So you have what I would argue are the two frontrunners for the GOP nomination having very different approaches.
Jeb "Jeb!" Bush tried education reform in his state that looks a lot like Common Core/No Child Left Behind. Since education reform in the GOP currently consists of getting rid of things like evolution and climate science, Bush is in a tough spot. Since he was governor back before the GOP decided all government was evil, he has actual policies to pick apart.
Stupid son of a bitch actually DID something.
Scott Walker, governor of Kochistan, has instead offered a budget that is less a governing document and more a campaign manifesto. It is designed to turn Bob LaFollette's home state into North Kansas by degrading the University of Wisconsin, attacking political enemies, gutting public radio's education programming and engages in poor shaming with drug tests that cost more than they save.
Walker's "vision" for Wisconsin is dreadful and if applied to the country as a whole would be disastrous. But it's much more effective at winning over the pale skinned, over-55, Fox news watching, shouting at clouds demographic that makes up the GOP base.
So, to recap: Jeb Bush tried to address a problem once as governor and it could legitimately stop him from winning the nomination. Scott Walker likes to cause problems and it's why he's my current pick to win the GOP nomination.
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