Gov. Walker's presidential campaign is over, so what went wrong, and what's next for him?

MADISON -- Governor Scott Walker on Monday, September 21st made an announcement in Madison that shocked some: After 10 weeks on the campaign trail, he dropped out of the 2016 race for president -- officially suspending his campaign. One day later, some are wondering what went wrong? And, after weeks on the road, how can Walker reclaim some of his political capital here at home?

Scott Walker in Iowa

After a breakout speech in Iowa early this year, Governor Walker surged to front-runner status early in the race, after officially announcing his candidacy on July 13th in Waukesha.

But months later, following a precipitous drop in the polls, Walker became one of the first Republican presidential candidates to call it quits. The announcement in Madison came less than one week after the second Republican presidential debate in California.

"I believe that I'm being called to lead by helping to clear the field in this race so that a positive conservative message can rise to the top of the field," Walker said Monday in Madison.

Gov. Scott Walker

So what went wrong?

"He was not the candidate that caught people's ear and without that momentum, the money dries up. People want to back a winner," Brian Bennett with STIR Advertising and Integrated Messaging said.

Some say it's a case of a "too crowded" field. Those who get noticed are those willing to do something extreme.

"His brand, you know, which was initially popular for what he stood for became less relevant as the conversation evolved," Bennett said.

Scott Walker "Unintimidated" PAC ad

Having spent months on the campaign trail (about two as a declared candidate), Walker has now returned to Wisconsin -- getting back to work as governor.

So is his political stature here the same as it was before his failed presidential run?

"Right now, politically, people have short-term memories and I think in a matter of weeks people are almost going to forget that he did run for president for a brief time," Chris Haworth, political strategist said.

Haworth also pointed out Walker dropped out during his first run for governor in 2006, and that move didn't hurt his future in politics.

"It certainly built up a lot of capital for Governor Walker to run again in four years," Haworth said.

As for whether Walker might resurrect those presidential ambitions in the future, we'll just have to wait and see.