Posted on 11/18/2018 5:58:19 AM PST by Mr. Mojo
Ohio Gov. John Kasich was on a three-city swing through New Hampshire this week, potentially feeling out a 2020 run for the White House as a Republican, or as an independent.
When CNN asked Kasich during a stop in Manchester, N.H., about how he's calculating his chances, the governor replied, "I don't do math calculations. That's not what I do."
"I mean, all options are on the table. And the question is, ultimately, can I have a very positive impact on the country, and I've got lots of people here who were saying to me just -- I was here yesterday and this guy comes to me and says, I don't care what you do, but wherever you go, I want to be there. I want you to understand that," he said. "And that's a really heartening thing. Terrific."
Kasich told reporters in Concord on Thursday that he's "encouraged every time I come back" to New Hampshire.
"I know everybody's wondering how I'm going to make a decision, when I'm going to make a decision. I don't know, but what's most important to me is that I can have a voice that can be a healing voice for the country."
Kasich said he believes an independent run could be viable because "there's a vast ocean in the middle."
"The middle has been numb, they didn't know what to do. But they did something they haven't done in 100 years -- they voted," he said. "They turned out in unbelievable numbers to say we've had enough. Where that takes us, I can't quite tell. But if you have this big ocean in the middle, there's perhaps a chance for something that's unique in American history."
Kasich said in an email to supporters on Thursday night that his trip was to meet "with old friends and new supporters, and I spoke about what we can all do to make a difference in our communities during these times of deep partisan division."
"This is a message that more and more Americans need to hear," he added. "We all instinctively know right from wrong, but it will take each of us doing our part to drive real change."
Kasich capped off his New Hampshire trip by launching a new johnkasich.com site, which is structured with elements of a political action committee and elements of a candidate's website from position statements to donation solicitation.
He’ll get 2%, tops.
He’ll get the asylum vote.
He’s dirty. Just give it time.
As an Ohioan, every time I hear the word Kasich, I want to barf!
I predict he’ll have Stacey Abrams as his running mate in his 2020 “spoiler” candidacy,
0 + 0 = 0
I despise this pig. I hope he chokes on a sammich.
Ya know, people have come to realize that they CANNOT waste a vote for another party at this point in our history.
Both Ds and Rs. Country is too divided to take the risk.
And both parties remember Nader.
Those of us 50 and over remember that ####Sucker Perot
If he runs as an independent based on the crap he’s spewing he’ll take more from the Dems than the Republicans.
So while he is driving around the country in his clown car I assume the other passengers are Flake, Corker and Ryan.
He won’t win, of course, but I imagine the media will probably promote the hell out of his GOP primary candidacy. Fully expect some “Kasich within five points of Trump in New Hampshire!” poll sometime in the spring or summer of 2019.
Yep. 3rd party vote is at record lows.
It's obvious, John....but thanks for the reminder
MESSAGE TO KASICH: That vast ocean is a mirage. Get interested in stamp collecting or knitting doilies.
He would do better in a Pizza eating contest. Trashing Trump keeps him on TV.
The squishy middle has no motivated base as the right and left do. And their number is going down as people solidify into more convinced right or left.
Plus Mr Kasich is a bit older and has fewer friends these days.
Odd that so many repubs end up sliding left as they age. Must be a testosterone thing.
Is it?
I didn’t actually look at the numbers but I do recall that 3rd party prick getting very few votes.
Thing is Kashit is a better known name than any since Nader.
Don’t think that will make a difference though.
Don’t we have any black ops people working for our side who makes special visits to “suggest” people don’t run for third party?
Dems work at a more more brutal level than Rs do. That’s one of the problems.
Illegals, insane or both.
Kasich hates trump. His sole reason for getting in the race is to suck votes away from Trump and he doesn’t give a damn who that benefits. I am sure he will be able to raise money from people like Soros to help him.
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