Last but maybe not least, Gov. John Kasich (R-OH) is running for president in 2016. And as planned, he'll launch his campaign today from The Ohio State University.
But first, a pro-Kasich group released this video on Sunday introducing the two-term governor to voters, providing the justification for why Republicans should, at the very least, tune into his announcement and hear what he has to say (via Cleveland.com):
His arguments for running are actually quite strong, despite the fact he’s polling extraordinarily low and there are some 20 candidates already in the race. After spending 18 years in Congress, working with and learning from conservative luminaries such as Barry Goldwater, he believes he is the only candidate stepping forward with the experience and track record of addressing the gravest challenges confronting the nation today. From chairman of the House Budget Committee to the chief executive of the most important swing state in America, Kasich comes across in the video as a serious, self-made, results-oriented presidential hopeful. (He also clearly knows how to win elections). And unlike other candidates in the race, he's deeply committed to balancing the nation's checkbook.
But what will he say today when he takes the podium? The Columbus Dispatch reports:
Kasich is expected to speak Tuesday without a TelePrompter or script, although he likely will have notes as he has had during recent State of the State addresses. Backed by a large video screen, he will make many of the same points he has for the past several weeks on the campaign trail: Nobody running for president can match his qualifications as a governor who enacted large tax cuts while the state has improved economically, nor his Washington experience helping to balance the federal budget and deal with national security issues.But he also is expected to reach out to those still struggling financially, with the message that he understands what they are going through, the source said. And he hopes to offer Reagan-like hope and optimism for the future, encouraging others to get through their struggles by sharing how he overcame challenges in his own life, such as beating the odds to get elected to the Ohio Senate in 1978, the only new Republican elected to Congress in 1982, winning the chairmanship of the House Budget Committee, and working with Democrats to bring cost controls to the Pentagon.
I imagine he’ll also weave in stories about his humble upbringing and family, as he did in the video above. Stay tuned.