In a rambling speech on the campus of Ohio State University in Columbus, Kasich told attendees: “I have decided to run for president of the United States.”
In a nearly 40-minute speech on Tuesday, Kasich told supporters that “policy is far more important than politics, ideology or any of the other nonsense we’ve seen” while boasting of his personal relationship with Ronald Reagan.
He touched on compassionate conservative themes by describing himself as “just a flawed man trying to honor god’s blessing in my life” while expressing concern for those in society who feel like “they just don’t matter”.
Kasich also shared his life story with attendees while discussing a range of policy matters, including his belief that “creating jobs is our highest moral purpose” and urging kids “don’t do drugs”.
As a congressman for Ohio for nearly two decades from 1982 to 2000, Kasich made his name slashing federal spending – which was at odds with the Clinton administration – but also in helping to engineer a balanced budget with Democrats. As governor of Ohio, he embraced Barack Obama’s expansion of Medicaid under the president’s signature healthcare act, a decision that was lambasted by Kasich’s fellow Republicans
Ohio is critical to the general election, having been won by Obama twice – and by every other successful presidential candidate since 1968. Kasich handily won the state in the two most recent gubernatorial races, but an advantage in a national election is no guarantee in the primaries, and the governor faces an uphill challenge to win the significantly more conservative electorate of a Republican presidential primary.
John Kasich becomes 16th Republican to announce presidential bid
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