Gov. John Kasich took a step back from earlier predictions that Donald Trump can't carry Ohio. Now, the key is whether Hillary Clinton can win big in major cities in the Buckeye State, he told CNN in a short interview broadast Friday night.

Gov. John Kasich took a step back from earlier predictions that Donald Trump can�t carry Ohio.

Now, the key is whether Hillary Clinton can win big in major cities in the Buckeye State, he told CNN in a short interview broadast Friday night.

Kasich repeated his prime critique of Trump�s approach for Ohio voters: �I think if you�re a divider you have a very hard time.�

But for perhaps the first time he acknowledged that there will be places across the state where Trump does very well, meaning �the question is what happens in the urban areas and is Hillary able to generate excitement in urban areas. If she can, she�ll win, and if she can�t, she won�t.�

The Ohio governor downplayed the significance of his return this weekend to New Hampshire, where he finished a solid if distant second to Trump in the Feb. 9 GOP primary. Kasich said the point of the trip is to raise money for Chris Sununu, who is running for governor this year � and is the brother of top-tier Kasich backer John E. Sununu, a former U.S. senator.

Kasich also is planning a reunion with those who supported him in the months-long run-up to the nation�s first presidential primary, noting �I have great affection for them.�

As far as speculation he is laying the groundwork for a 2020 presidential bid, �I wouldn�t get carried away,� Kasich said.

�It�s like asking one of these marathoners if he�s going to go into the next Olympics. Everybody ought to have a deep breath and a break.�

Asked about Trump�s seeming softening of his stance on deporting undocumented immigrants, Kasich said, �I�m not quite sure where he is on this.�

�If this is moving a little bit then it should be good news for our friends in the Hispanic community because many of those families have been on edge, and they don�t need to be on edge.�

drowland@dispatch.com

@darreldrowland