By Brendan O'Brien
WEST ALLIS Wis. (Reuters) - Wisconsin Republican Governor Scott Walker has won re-election, Reuters/Ipsos projected on Tuesday, prevailing in a tough fight against Democratic challenger Mary Burke.
Walker, 47, a conservative Tea Party favorite considered to have presidential aspirations, also survived a recall election in 2012, beating back a labor-backed effort to oust him from the governor's office.
Walker supporters broke out into a cheer of "Four more years" when projections declaring him the winner were announced.
Walker rose to national prominence among conservatives in 2011 when within weeks of taking office, he pushed for legislation that restricted the power of many public-sector unions. That led to a special recall election the following year.
He has made appearances in Iowa, New Hampshire and other states, and published a campaign-themed biography, adding to the perception he is preparing for a 2016 presidential run.
Walker focused his campaign on Wisconsin erasing a $3.6 billion budget deficit and on steady improvement in the state's economy, although job growth fell short of his campaign promise to add 250,000 in his first term.
He avoided campaign focus on social issues that have been divisive for Republican candidates such as same-sex marriage and abortion.
Burke, a former state commerce secretary and current Madison-area school board member, focused her campaign partly on Walker's inability to meet the jobs promise.
Pre-election polls gave Walker a slight edge over Burke, who was head of strategy and director of European operations for Trek, a bicycle company founded by her father.
(Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in West Allis, Wisconsin and Michael Flaherty in Washington; Editing by Peter Cooney and Eric Walsh)