Ohio Gov. Kasich Officially Announces Campaign For President

“My first stop out of the state of Ohio is right here”, Kasich told the crowd at Rivier University.

Kasich, 63, previously sought the presidency 16 years ago but withdrew from the race in July 1999 and endorsed George W. Bush.

“I am here to ask you for your prayers, for your support, for your efforts because I have decided to run for president of the United States”, Kasich said. He also spent almost a decade at the Lehman Brothers financial services firm. “I humbly tell you, I believe I have the skills and I have the experience and the testing, which shape you”.

Now in his second term in swing-state Ohio, he’s helped erase a budget deficit projected at almost $8 billion when he entered office, boost Ohio’s rainy-day fund to a historic high and seen private-sector employment rebound to its pre-recession level.

Speaking from his alma mater Ohio State University in Columbus, Kasich was joined by his wife Karen and his daughters Emma and Reese.

“Results and leadership – that’s what America is yearning for, and what Gov. Kasich brings”, he said in a released statement Monday, the day before Kasich’s announcement event in Columbus. “We just had to use a 21st century formula”.

Kasich said that while Clinton may be harmed by various scandals, in the end, it will come down to “the best vision and record”.

Newt Gingrich, who helped jump-start Kasich’s career and is knowledgeable about the fickleness of elections, agreed that everything about Kasich’s run – heck, the entire race – is completely up in the air.

Among his supporters, Margo Bishop, 77, of Gahanna, Ohio, said she values his candor: “I think he’s speaking out, and even if I don’t agree all the time, …at least he’s saying something”.

“Policy is more important than politics or ideology or any other nonsense”, Kasich said. A critical early test for Kasich, analysts say, will be whether he can raise those numbers enough to land a spot in the August 6 Republican debate in Cleveland.

“It would be a blessing if we could get rid of him as governor, but then I don’t think anybody is going to take him as president”, said Scioto County Democratic Party Chairman Randy Basham.

Several outlets – including the National Journal, FiveThirtyEight, Politico, and Salon – recently noted that Kasich’s candidacy is similar to that of former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman (R), whose 2012 campaign flopped despite its theoretical appeal. So many are running that it’s unclear Kasich will qualify for the GOP’s first debate in his home state in just two weeks, when only the top 10 candidates in national polling will be on stage. He left immediately for New Hampshire after his announcement for a series of town hall meetings.