And Then There Were 16; Ohio Gov. Joins The GOP Race

Local democrats are talking to 2 NEWS about Governor John Kasich’s jump into the presidential pool.

With today’s announcement, he is the 16th Republican candidate to announce for the 2016 presidential election.

The first Republican debate is set for August 6 in Cleveland. “And if you don’t get in those, you nearly never start your campaign in terms of the national audience”. GOP Vice Chairwoman Tracey Winbush said. And folks, as it has been said many times, the light of the city on a hill can not be hidden. “At the same time being in Congress, [balancing] the budget. Kasich is dedicated to getting our massive deficit and government spending under control”.

His opponents in the Republican field and the leading Democratic presidential candidate, former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, have denounced his recent comment that Senator John McCain was no hero for his five years as a prisoner-of-war in Hanoi in the 1960s during the Vietnam War. “On the other hand when you look at the shape the county is in, someone as radical as Donald Trump would probably make his mark on history”, Chairman of the Scioto County Commissioners Mike Crabtree said. “I don’t pay attention to that nonsense”.

But Kasich is one of the last serious contenders to enter the race and faces high odds in breaking away from the field. When he became governor, he had seen thousands of workers laid off because a major company had left the state. He even helped to dig a grave for a potential New Hampshire voter’s dog.

But Albert Edward, of Cincinnati, questioned whether Kasich has enough support or name recognition to win.

Kasich’s Ohio residency could also favor his candidacy. She hopes anyone, whether it’s Kasich or someone else, can do a better job. Again, hard to pick a guy if you don’t know who he is.

“The Lord wants our hearts to reach out to those who don’t have what we have”, Kasich said.

He touted familiar conservative values, including personal responsibility, and said the nation needs to show more empathy toward the less fortunate in society.

But making matters slightly worse is the governor’s ability to occasionally rub people the wrong way on a personal level. “I do this for my family, neighbors, friends, and I do it for everyone”, Kasich said during his announcement speech to a near capacity crowd.

While New Hampshire is particularly attractive for Kasich because his record appeals to fiscal conservatives there, the governor will also campaign in the other early-voting states, said John Weaver, his chief strategist. “I believe I know how to work and help restore this great United States”.

Kasich is popular in Ohio. Kasich is an engaging, energetic debater, Haynes said, “but he’s got to claw through the pack to get to the podium”.

“He touched on a lot of subjects”. “I think the more people who hear about his story, the interest in him and his popularity will increase as well”.