John Kasich
John Richard Kasich (born May 13, 1952, in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania) was the 69th governor of Ohio. A Republican, he was first elected in 2010 and was re-elected for a second term in 2014.[1][2][3]
Kasich previously served in the Ohio State Senate from 1979 to 1983 and in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1983 to 2001. He made an unsuccessful bid for the presidency in 2000.[4]
Kasich announced on July 21, 2015, that he was running for president of the United States in 2016.[5] He suspended his campaign on May 4, 2016, with one primary win in his home state of Ohio.[6]
Biography
Kasich grew up in McKees Rocks, Penn., and first moved to Ohio to attend college. There, he joined the Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity and studied political science. After graduating, he joined the Ohio Legislative Services Commission and worked directly for then-state Senator Buz Lukens (R) for three years before beginning his own political career.
From 2001 through April 21, 2007, Kasich was the host of "Heartland with John Kasich" on Fox News. During that time he was also a frequent guest host on "The O'Reilly Factor," and contributor to a variety of Fox News programs.[7]
Education
- B.A. Ohio State University (1974)[8]
Political career
- 2011-2019: Governor of Ohio
- 1983-2001: U.S. House of Representatives
- 1979-1983: Ohio State Senate
Elections
2018
- See also: Ohio gubernatorial election, 2018
John Kasich was not able to file for re-election due to term limits.
2016
Presidency
Kasich was a Republican presidential candidate in 2016. He suspended his campaign on May 4, 2016, with one primary win in his home state of Ohio.[6]
Kasich declined to endorse Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, and on October 8, 2016, after The Washington Post released a 2005 video of Trump making comments about women that the Post described as "extremely lewd," Kasich announced he would not vote for Donald Trump in the 2016 general election.[9][10]
Kasich officially announced his bid for the presidency on July 21, 2015, making him the 16th major Republican candidate to enter the race. He made his announcement at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, where he earned a B.A. in political science in 1974.[11]
Previously, in March 2014, Kasich said that he was "just not interested" in running for the presidency, but in an interview with ABC News on December 7, 2014, he would not explicitly deny plans to run.[12] When asked about the possibility, Kasich responded, "Well, George, well, look, you know, you knew you were never going to get a good answer out of me here today."[12]
Kasich received both support and criticism from fellow Republicans for his more moderate political philosophy. He supported Common Core education standards, a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, and Medicaid expansions in Ohio.[13] Kasich's support in his home state was viewed as a significant advantage because no candidate who had lost Ohio had won the presidency in over 50 years.[14]
2014
- See also: Ohio gubernatorial election, 2014
Kasich ran for re-election as governor of Ohio in the 2014 elections.[3] Kasich won the Republican nomination in the unopposed primary on May 6, 2014. The general election took place on November 4, 2014.[15]
Results
General election
| Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Ohio, 2014 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  John Kasich/Mary Taylor Incumbent |
63.6% | 1,944,848 | |
| Democratic | Ed FitzGerald/Sharen Neuhardt | 33% | 1,009,359 | |
| Green | Anita Rios/Bob Fitrakis | 3.3% | 101,706 | |
| Total Votes | 3,055,913 | |||
| Election results via Ohio Secretary of State | ||||
Race background
2010
- See also: Ohio gubernatorial election, 2010
Kasich declared his candidacy for governor of Ohio in June of 2009.[33] On January 14, 2010, Kasich selected Ohio Auditor Mary Taylor (R) as his running mate.[34]
In an Ohio first, Kasich initially announced his running mate on social networking website Twitter.[35][36] Kasich had been critical of the GOP with regard to adoption of new media and his campaign made use of online networking sites.[37]
In January of 2010, Kasich was ahead of incumbent Governor Ted Strickland (D) in most polls.[38]
Kasich defeated Strickland in the November 2010 general election.[39]
| Governor/Lt. Governor of Ohio, 2010 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | John Kasich/Mary Taylor |
49% | 1,889,186 | |
| Democratic | Ted Strickland/Yvette McGee Brown Incumbent | 47% | 1,812,059 | |
| Libertarian | Ken Matesz/Margaret Ann Leech | 2.4% | 92,116 | |
| Green | Dennis Spisak/Anita Rios | 1.5% | 58,475 | |
| Write-In | David Sargent | 0% | 633 | |
| Total Votes | 3,852,469 | |||
| Election results via Ohio Secretary of State | ||||
Noteworthy events
Response to policy on Syria
- Main article: U.S. governors and their responses to Syrian refugees
After the attacks in Paris, France, on November 13, 2015, many U.S. governors declared their support or opposition to Syrian refugee resettlement in their states. Kasich expressed strong opposition to the resettlement of Syrian refugees in the state of Ohio. Jim Lynch, a spokesman for the governor, said:
| “ | The governor doesn't believe the U.S. should accept additional Syrian refugees because security and safety issues cannot be adequately addressed. The governor is writing to the President to ask him to stop, and to ask him to stop resettling them in Ohio. We are also looking at what additional steps Ohio can take to stop resettlement of these refugees.[40] | ” |
| —Jim Lynch, spokesman for the governor[41] | ||
Veto of Republican-backed residency proposal
In April 2015, Kasich used his line-item veto power to strike a proposal that would have required out-of-state residents to obtain an Ohio driver's license and vehicle registration within 30 days of registering to vote. Kasich also vetoed a provision that would have taken away driving privileges from new residents who did not meet the 30-day deadline for obtaining in-state driving documents. Ohio Democrats opposed the provision, claiming it was a move by Republicans in the legislature to suppress a segment of the population that often voted Democratic, and commended Kasich's veto. Kasich stated that his reasons for vetoing the proposal had little to do with concerns over voter registration, saying instead that the language would have increased existing confusion surrounding Ohio's residency rules and cited inconsistencies with other driving policies. At the time Kasich vetoed the proposal, the number of out-of-state college students in Ohio exceeded 100,000.[42]
Job creation ranking
A June 2013 analysis by The Business Journals ranked 45 governors based on the annual private sector growth rate in all 50 states using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Kasich was ranked number 26. The five governors omitted from the analysis all assumed office in 2013.[43][44]
Medicaid expansion
On February 4, 2013, Kasich announced he would participate in the federally-funded Medicaid expansion program introduced by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Kasich's announcement was criticized by members of groups opposed to the ACA, many of whom had supported Kasich in the 2010 election. Americans for Prosperity Policy Manager Nicole Kaeding argued that "Medicaid is a broken, costly system that needs meaningful reform; expanding the system to include another 365,000 individuals is exactly the wrong policy for Ohio families."[45] Kasich received permission from the state controlling board to implement the program on October 21, 2013. Kasich's decision was praised by the White House, with Obama aide Chris Jennings saying, "this is great news for the 270,000 previously uninsured residents, the state’s health care providers, and [the] Ohio economy, [which] will benefit from this expansion."[46]
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Presidential preference
2012
John Kasich endorsed Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential election.[47]
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
After losing both his parents in a 1987 auto accident, Kasich converted from Roman Catholicism to evangelical Christianity. He amicably divorced from his first wife, Mary Lee Griffith. Kasich married Karen Waldbillig in 1997 and they had two daughters.[48][49][50]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "John + Kasich + Ohio + Governor"
See also
| Ohio | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
|---|---|---|
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- Governor of Ohio
- Lieutenant Governor of Ohio
- Lieutenant Governor Mary Taylor
- Gubernatorial elections, 2010
- Ohio gubernatorial election, 2010
- Ohio Gubernatorial and Lieutenant Gubernatorial election, 2014
External links
- Social media:
- Biographies:
- Executive actions:
- Fact-checking:
- Interest group ratings:
- Issue positions:
- Public statements:
- Works by or about:
- Media appearances:
- U.S. Representative (1983–2001)
- Biographies:
- Political profiles:
- Financial (federal level):
- Voting record:
Footnotes
- ↑ Cincinnati.com, "Election 2014," accessed November 4, 2014
- ↑ NBC News, "Decision 2014 – Ohio Governor," accessed November 4, 2014
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Columbus Dispatch, "Kasich focused on his own re-election bid," November 8, 2012
- ↑ Deseret News, "Veteran Ohio lawmaker plans to seek GOP presidential nod," February 15, 1999
- ↑ Politico, "John Kasich to announce presidential bid July 21," June 28, 2015
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Politico, "Kasich dropping out of presidential race," May 4, 2016
- ↑ IMDB, "John Kasich," accessed July 13, 2018
- ↑ Governor of Ohio, "Governor Kasich," accessed Oct. 4, 2015
- ↑ Facebook, "John Kasich," October 8, 2016
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Trump recorded having extremely lewd conversation about women in 2005," October 8, 2016
- ↑ CNN.com, "John Kasich makes 2016 bid official in freewheeling announcement," July 21, 2015
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 ABC News, "Ohio Gov. John Kasich Not Denying Interest in Presidential Bid," accessed December 11, 2014
- ↑ The Hill, "Ohio gov: No decision on presidential run," accessed December 11, 2014
- ↑ U.S. News, "John Kasich Charts a Different Course," accessed December 11, 2014
- ↑ Politico, "2014 Ohio Governor Election Results," accessed October 4, 2015
- ↑ Quinnipiac, "Ohio Gov Roars Past Little Known Challenger, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Support For Life Options Outweighs Death Penalty," May 14, 2014
- ↑ The Washington Post, "The remarkable implosion of Ed FitzGerald," August 26, 2014
- ↑ Columbus Dispatch, "Ohio governor: Kasich ahead by 30 points in new poll," September 14, 2014
- ↑ Vindy.com, "Ryan decides not to run for governor," March 16, 2013
- ↑ The Plain Dealer-Sun News, "Rep. Tim Ryan considering a run for Ohio governor," April 25, 2012
- ↑ Cleveland Plain Dealer, "Tea party leader takes first step toward challenging John Kasich in GOP primary," January 6, 2014
- ↑ Cleveland Plain Dealer, "Tea Party primary challenge to Kasich fizzles," January 6, 2014
- ↑ Ohio Liberty Coalition, "Stevenot Decides Not to Run for Governor," January 6, 2014
- ↑ The Plain Dealer, "Ed FitzGerald faces only primary among statewide candidates; Libertarians fail to field full slate," March 10, 2014
- ↑ Akron Beacon Journal Online, "Libertarian governor candidate challenged in Ohio," March 10, 2014
- ↑ The Republic, "Ohio elections chief disqualifies 2 Libertarian candidates from May primary after protests," March 10, 2014
- ↑ Ballot Access News, "Ohio Secretary of State Removes Libertarian Party Statewide Candidates from the Libertarian Primary Ballot," March 10, 2014
- ↑ Libertarian Party of Ohio v. Jon Husted, "Application for stay and emergency injunction addressed to Justice Kagan," accessed May 2, 2014
- ↑ The Republic, "Ohio Libertarians' ballot plea denied at US Supreme Court, re-filed with 2nd justice," May 2, 2014
- ↑ The Alliance Review, "Court denies request in Ohio Libertarians’ case," May 5, 2014
- ↑ The Blade, "Legal options trimmed for Libertarian Ohio governor candidate; federal court won't rehear case," June 4, 2014
- ↑ Ballot Access News, "Ohio Green Party Still Has Chance to Qualify its Gubernatorial Candidate for the November Ballot," March 24, 2014
- ↑ Dispatch, "It's official: Kasich in governor's race," June 2, 2009
- ↑ The Blade, "Kasich selects Ohio Auditor Mary Taylor as running mate for governor," January 14, 2010
- ↑ Twitter, "John R. Kasich," accessed July 7, 2014
- ↑ Redstate, "John Kasich and Mary Taylor – Strong Ohio Ticket in 2010," January 15, 2010
- ↑ Washington Post, "The GOP: Luddites or high tech?" November, 2009
- ↑ Real Clear Politics, "Kasich vs. Strickland," accessed July 7, 2014
- ↑ Dayton Business Journal, "John Kasich names staff members," November 3, 2010
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ The Columbus Dispatch, "Ohio Politics Now: A look at the Syrian refugee debate," November 17, 2015
- ↑ The Columbus Dispatch, "Kasich's veto removes voting target for out-of-state college students," April 1, 2015
- ↑ The Business Journals, "Governors and jobs: How governors rank for job creation in their states," June 27, 2013
- ↑ The Business Journals, "How state governors rank on their job-growth record," June 27, 2013
- ↑ Politico, "John Kasich’s Obamacare flip burns conservatives," February 4, 2013
- ↑ MSNBC, "Obamacare wins in Ohio as John Kasich expands state’s Medicaid coverage," October 22, 2013
- ↑ Examiner.com, "Ohio Gov., Lt. Gov. endorse Romney, but Kasich won't be with Romney in Lorain," April 19, 2012
- ↑ The New York Times, "A Republican With Rough Edges," April 26, 1998
- ↑ Cleveland.com, "After some lean and mean years, a maverick goes mainstream in Congress: John Kasich 5.0," May 13, 2014
- ↑ Heavy, "John Kasich’s Family: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know," September 16, 2016
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Ted Strickland (D) |
Governor of Ohio 2011-2019 |
Succeeded by Mike DeWine (R) |
| Preceded by ' |
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Succeeded by ' |
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