×

Send John Kasich to the Republican Convention

While the political pundits would have us believe that the 2016 Republican nomination for president is all but over, the facts remain that only a little more than one half of all of the Republican delegates across the nation have yet to be awarded to any Republican candidate. And as of this point in time, it may well be that none of the four remaining Republican candidates will actually attain the magical 1,237 delegates necessary to secure the Party’s nomination on the first ballot at the Republican National Convention in July.

Such an outcome would not be unprecedented in the modern age. It occurred in the 1976 Republican contest between Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan. Ford led slightly in the delegate count going into the Republican National Convention. He ultimately received enough votes on the first ballot to clinch the nomination outright. Unfortunately, he went on to lose the General Election to Jimmy Carter.

This year’s Republican nomination is more complex than the 1976 nominating process, though, as there are not just two, but four viable contestants seeking the Party’s nomination. Of course, one of these four is Ohio Governor John Kasich, who prevailed in 86 of 88 counties in his last election for Governor of Ohio, carrying even some of the most Democrat counties in Ohio. The “why” and “how” Kasich achieved such a stunning electoral success is easy to understand when you fact check his public record in office.

John Kasich came into office inheriting an $8 billion deficit, with record high unemployment and a state beset by high taxes, out of control spending and regulators on auto-pilot, wreaking havoc with Ohio’s small to midsized companies. In his first term, Kasich turned this deficit into a $2 billion surplus; he slashed individual income taxes by 21 percent, eliminated Ohio’s onerous death tax, and rebated back to Ohio employers more than $2 billion in workers compensation premiums. All of this has had a tremendously stimulative effect on the Ohio economy, resulting in some 400,000 new jobs being created.

Through John Kasich’s “Common Sense Initiative,” overly burdensome government rules and regulations have been brought under control, with the message to employers that Ohio is open for business again. In one of the early presidential debates, it was suggested that John Kasich was “just lucky” that Ohio had hit oil. Well I guess one could say that, but let’s not forget that it was John Kasich that embraced the oil and gas boom that has unfolded especially in eastern Ohio. While neighboring states governed by Democrats outlawed fracking, Kasich cheered for its success. This has resulted in billions of dollars being invested to develop this industry.

Kasich’s record in Congress was equally as impressive. As Chairman of the House Budget Committee it was John Kasich that presented the first balanced budget in forty years, forcing across the board cuts in spending that the Democrats fought until the bitter end. In those days, Kasich was the “maverick” conservative, a central player in Newt Gingrich’s “Contract With America,” and a highly respected leader in Congress.

This is precisely the kind of leader that we need as our next president. With his years of experience in Congress, one and a half terms as a highly successful governor in an important industrial state, and somebody that has conducted himself in a presidential manner throughout the entire campaign cycle to date, John Kasich is one we can trust with our vote on Tuesday. He deserves it. Above all else, he will provide Ohio Republicans with the proverbial seat at the table at this year’s Republican National Convention, hosted here in Ohio.

Remember that no Republican has ever been elected to the White House without carrying Ohio. And, no candidate of either party has won the White House since 1964 without winning Ohio. In this critical election, Ohio needs for John Kasich to, at the very least, play a role in the nominating process. This will happen only if we elect him on the Republican ballot on Tuesday.

So on the Ides of March, Tuesday the 15th, make Ohio a significant if not determining factor in the nomination of the next President of the United States elect John Kasich as Ohio’s nominee to the Republican National Convention.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.39/week.

Subscribe Today