Myra Adams:
If Ohio’s Republican governor John Kasich wins reelection in November, expect the chatter about a possible White House run to increase. But could his support of Medicaid expansion sink him?
Unless you live in Ohio, or are a political junkie, chances are you have never heard of its Republican governor, John Kasich. But that will likely change after November’s mid-term election if Governor Kasich wins his reelection bid by a respectable margin—setting the chattering class off yapping about his increased 2016 presidential prospects.
Last month, Kasich received a national profile boost when he was invited to the widely reported, “Sheldon Primary,” the goal of which was to impress Las Vegas billionaire casino owner Sheldon Adelson. It was Adelson who in 2012 gave a total of $92 million to Republican candidates—most prominently to Newt Gingrich (which helped prolong a nasty Republican primary) and then to eventual nominee Mitt Romney.
With his eye on retaking the White House in 2016, Adelson is determined no longer waste millions on fringe candidates and instead focus on a “moderate” candidate who he can back early and often.
Thus, in addition to Governor Kasich, Adelson invited two other sitting governors, New Jersey’s Chris Christie and Wisconsin’s Scott Walker along with former Florida governor Jeb Bush to round out the foursome.
Obviously, Adelson thinks the party’s presidential future lies with governors and for good reason—governors actually govern and senators only talk.
Kasich, in addition to leading an important electoral swing state, has the distinction of being the only Sheldon Primary invitee with decades of Washington experience while representing Ohio’s 12th congressional district from January, 1983 until January, 2001.
It was during his congressional tenure that in 1994 Republicans won control of the House and Kasich was elevated to Chairman of the Budget Committee.
If Kasich needs some fiscal bragging rights for a potential 2016 presidential run he can remind us that in 1995 he presided over a U.S. budget surplus of $236 billion after inheriting a $163 billion deficit in 1994. At the time, Kasich’s 1995 budget surplus was the first since 1969 and one wonders if our nation will ever see another.
John has issues…
But not nearly as many as Christie, or Bush