Chrissie Thompson and Deirdre Shesgreen

The Cincinnati Enquirer

Ohio Gov. John Kasich suspended his presidential campaign on Wednesday, a decision that leaves Donald Trump free to cruise to the GOP nomination unfettered.

In an emotional speech in Columbus, Kasich said voters had "changed me with the stories of their lives," and he recounted some of the most poignant moments of his campaign. He said he was ready for the next phase of his political life, but he didn't say what that might be — and he made no comments about Trump.

"I have always said that the Lord has a purpose for me, as he has for everyone," Kasich said. "As I suspend my campaign today, I have renewed faith, deeper faith, that the Lord will show me the way forward and fulfill the purpose of my life."

Kasich's press conference in Columbus was a hastily arranged event, coming hours after he canceled a full day of fundraisers and press appearances that signaled he would barrel ahead with his bid.

On Tuesday night, Kasich's top adviser said the governor was intent on staying in the race — pitching him as the lone and unlikely alternative to Trump's candidacy — even though he had won only his home state, had picked up only nine delegates since mid-March and trailed Trump by nearly 900 delegates.

The campaign even tweeted out an homage to Star Wars on Wednesday morning, suggesting Kasich was the only hope to defeat Trump and prevent a Clinton presidency.

But Trump's victory in Indiana on Tuesday night all but sealed the GOP nomination, leading Texas Sen. Ted Cruz to drop out of the race. Kasich has long been mathematically eliminated from winning the GOP nomination, with critics saying he was playing a spoiler by staying in.

And the pressure to drop out ramped up quickly. Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus tweeted Tuesday night he considered Trump the "presumptive nominee," indicating the party would rally behind the controversial billionaire in an attempt to beat likely Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

"It’s kind of inevitable," said former congressman Chris Shays, a Connecticut Republican and staunch Kasich supporter. "Trump will have the votes, and there’s nothing John can do about it."

6 key moments in John Kasich's campaign

Taking on Trump one-on-one would have required millions more in cash than Kasich has. His campaign's and his political action committee's coffers had dwindled to $1.2 million each by the end of March.

Kasich referred to his lagging fundraising on Wednesday, thanking his staff and saying: "Nobody has ever done more with less in the history of politics."

The possibility of quitting the GOP race has been on Kasich’s mind for at least a few days. Last week, he told an Oregon audience that he’d talked with his wife the previous day about whether to end his campaign. "I’ve decided to keep going,” he said, according to a New York Times report. “And there are going to be people who are going to criticize me for that. And it’s not always an easy road. I’m going to do my very best.”

By Wednesday morning, Kasich appeared to have a full change of heart, when he was scheduled to hold a press conference at Dulles Airport near Washington. Dozens of reporters milled around in the lobby of a private aviation terminal, waiting for Kasich to arrive. As the scheduled time came and went, rumors began swirling. The Ohio governor had not left Columbus and was discussing his future with advisers.

Trump on Wednesday welcomed the news that Kasich would quit the race, saying the Ohio Republican was "doing the right thing" and suggesting he might consider Kasich as vice presidential contender, according to CNN.

"I think John will be very helpful with Ohio," Trump told CNN. Kasich's aides have said he is not interested in the No. 2 spot on a Trump ticket.

Shays said that while Kasich's decision to drop out was now unavoidable, he and others are still bitterly disappointed — and nervous about Trump as the GOP nominee.

"John would have been a really fantastic president," Shays said. "And I think Donald Trump, if he does what he has promised ... will be disastrous. And if he doesn’t do what he promised, he will be a monumental con man. We lose both ways."