Wisconsin Scott Walker declared his opposition to the nuclear arms deal with Iran in a campaign stop in Atlanta Wednesday, days after he formally announced his bid for the presidency.
The Republican said he would "without hesitation seek to terminate the deal" if elected, and added that he would ask Congress to enact even more crippling economic sanctions.
"I remember tying ribbons in the front of our house for the hostages," he said, invoking the 444-day hostage crisis that ended in 1981. "For all practical purposes, not a whole lot has changed in Iran. This is not a place we should be doing business with."
Walker otherwise gave his standard stump speech - centered on a call to follow in Reagan's footsteps - and didn't take any questions from reporters after 23 minutes of remarks.
The biggest applause line that he delivered to the 75 or so GOP donors who gathered at the Buckhead Club came when he trumpeted a voter ID law passed on his watch.
"And we did it in a blue state like Wisconsin, which tells me we can do it anywhere," he said.
Other lines, such as his affinity for shopping at the Kohl's department store, fell noticeably flat among the well-heeled crowd.
The group included the GOP donor Fred Cooper and state Sen. Judson Hill. State Reps. Earl Ehrhart and BJ Pak have also lined up behind the candidate.
"He has what it takes to be the next president," said Hill, a Marietta Republican. "And I'll do what it takes to help him win."
Democratic Party of Georgia head DuBose Porter said Walker "would deliver a body blow to working Americans" if he's elected.
“Republicans have 15 candidates in the race now, and not a single one of them is qualified to run a lemonade stand," said Porter.
Walker, meanwhile, said Georgia voters will be seeing a lot more of him, invoking the March 1 regional SEC primary pumped by Secretary of State Brian Kemp.
"We didn't just come here by accident," said Walker. "Georgia's going to make a difference, so get used to seeing us."
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