John Kasich, Republican Governor of Ohio, in office since 2011, has an impressive resume. He has served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1983 to 2001 where Kasich served as Chairman of the Budget Committee. He was a commentator on Fox News Channel, hosting “Heartland with John Kasich” (2001–2007). He also worked as an investment banker. In the 2010 Ohio election for governor, Kasich defeated the Democratic incumbent 49% to 47%. He was re-elected in a landslide in 2014 by a 64% to 33% margin and winning all but two counties. A Kasich candidacy is very intriguing to the Republican Party hierarchy because as Kasich put it, “You can’t be president if you don’t carry Ohio.” But will he run for president in 2016? He was in Nashua this weekend with the other 18 GOP hopefuls. He has formed a non-profit advocacy group called “New Day for America” with former New Hampshire senator John Sununu on its board of directors. Kasich toyed with the idea of running in 2000, but he pulled out due to poor fund raising.
John Kasich is apparently a man of faith. He has repeatedly claimed that he will decide when the Lord tells him what He wants him to do with his life. Kasich believes that he has the expertise and background to be an effective president, and he takes that responsibility seriously. Another condition is that he will only run if he thinks that he can win. The final factor is having unified support from his family. His religious values also influence how he would end gridlock between the Democrats and Republicans. He says that you can’t get anything done if you are constantly demonizing your opponents. You need to show respect for the other side because we are all Americans and children of God. To restore the feeling of American Exceptionalism, John Kasich would call for rebuilding our foundational values,such as: more personal responsibility and resilience; empathy for others; a re-emphasis of the importance of family; and faith because we are all made in the Lord’s image we should have respect for others.
