Category Archives: John Kasich

Kasich In New Hampshire – Round 27



Kasich - Hopkinton NH 11-6-15Ohio Governor John Kasich continued his focus on campaigning in New Hampshire Friday, with a town hall meeting in Hopkinton that he described as his 27th New Hampshire town hall.  Kasich had two other public events during a two day visit, with a town hall Thursday night and filing for the New Hampshire primary ballot Friday morning. Continue reading Kasich In New Hampshire – Round 27

Kasich on Keystone



Ohio Governor John Kasich condemned President Obama’s rejection of the Keystone XL oil pipeline Friday, casting it as a “completely political” intra-party choice by Obama between supporting labor or “environmental extremists.”

Kasich spoke as he arrived at a campaign appearance in Hopkinton, New Hampshire.

Something Is Wrong With Johnny



Kasich“Something is wrong with Johnny.”  No, there’s not something wrong with Republican presidential candidate John Kasich.  It’s actually a punchline in an introductory story Kasich frequently tells, and it captures much about Kasich and why he’s among the more likely possibilities for the Republican presidential nomination.

First, the story.  Kasich frequently recounts how, as a freshman at Ohio State, a meeting he engineered with the university president led to an invitation to meet with President Nixon.  When Kasich called home to tell his decidedly working class parents that he needed a plane ticket in order to go to an Oval Office meeting with President Nixon, his mother yelled to his father “honey pick up the phone, something is wrong with Johnny.” Continue reading Something Is Wrong With Johnny

Kasich Open to Constitutional Convention



Republican presidential candidate John Kasich is open to the idea of a constitutional convention.  His primary focus is adding a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution, but expressed support for a convention as an alternative if Congress does not propound such an amendment.

Kasich referred to a constitutional convention during a town hall in West Lebanon, New Hampshire.  Here’s what Kasich had to say when I asked him about that comment afterwards.

Kasich on McKinley



Ohio Governor John Kasich doesn’t like the recent renaming of Mt. McKinley, but he appears to not share the outrage of other Ohio Republican elected officials.  Kasich, who hopes to follow McKinley’s path from member of Congress to Ohio governor to president, responded to my question with a laugh, saying “they shouldn’t change the signs, cause when I’m president we’re gonna put the signs back up again.”

Kasich & D’Amato



“I can’t wait to be in New York City with Alphonse D’Amato, we are gonna have the time of our lives.”  That’s how Republican presidential candidate John Kasich responded when I asked about D’Amato’s recent endorsement of Kasich.

Three term senator D’Amato has now been out of office, and a lobbyist, for nearly as long as he was in office.  I asked Kasich what D’Amato’s endorsement signaled about Kasich’s general relationship with lobbyists.  Here’s what he had to say:

D’Amato was George Pataki’s primary political patron, playing a key role in Pataki’s first gubernatorial run.  Last week I asked Pataki about D’Amato’s endorsement of a Pataki competitor.

Kasich Gaggles



He came, he spoke, he gaggled.

2016 Republican presidential candidate John Kasich rolled across New Hampshire Wednesday, holding town halls in Hooksett, Henniker, New London and West Lebanon.  He spoke with the press afterwards at three of those town halls.

Each gaggle was short, with two clocking in at about three minutes and the lengthiest just about five minutes.  Although the gaggles were brief the questions were wide ranging, starting in Hooskett with “are you angry enough to win the Republican nomination” and ending ten hours later in West Lebanon with a discourse on rock and alternative music.  Other topics included raising the minimum wage, his endorsement by former senator Al D’Amato, the renaming of Mt. McKinley dropping the name of the Ohian former president, whether Kasich plans to attack his rivals, the Iran nuclear deal, whether he will seek to defund Medicaid money currently directed to Planned Parenthood, who his foreign policy advisors are and the seeming interest of Republican primary voters in candidates who have never held political office.

Hooksett:

New London:

West Lebanon:

Kasich Town Hall (Updated)



Ohio Governor John Kasich drew about 100 people to a town hall meeting in Salem New Hampshire Wednesday afternoon, continuing his rising presidential primary prospects.

Town Hall:

Kasich was well-received, beginning with an engaging description of his childhood and young adulthood and moving smoothly into his time in Congress.  He has a distinct story, with substantial experience in both state and federal elected office.  (While Marco Rubio and Bobby Jindal have also held state and federal office, neither’s experience matches Kasich’s.)  While virtually all of the other candidates, even those who currently serve there, attack “Washington”, Kasich touts his past success in Congress and plausibly argues that such past success demonstrates an ability to overcome Washington gridlock.  Here is Kasich’s full town hall:

Press Q&A:  Kasich spoke with the press afterwards, touting his rising poll numbers and displaying a bit of his idiosyncratic personality.  Here’s his gaggle:

IMG_4452Photo Gallery:  Our town hall photo gallery is here.