Story highlights Kasich told reporters he's frequently in touch with local officials and said, "I will only do what local people say that I need to do,"

The governor described the death of Tamir Rice as a "terrible tragedy"

Nashua, New Hampshire (CNN) John Kasich declined to weigh in Tuesday on a grand jury's decision to not indict police officers in last year's shooting of an unarmed 12-year-old boy in Cleveland.

But the Ohio governor argued that protesters need to have their voices heard and said he thought the U.S. Department of Justice's continued investigation into the death of Tamir Rice was appropriate.

Kasich, who was in New Hampshire Tuesday campaigning for his presidential bid, said there will undoubtedly be protests but plans to continue with his family vacation in Florida, which begins Tuesday night.

Kasich told reporters he's frequently in touch with local officials and said, "I will only do what local people say that I need to do," when asked whether he'll go back to Ohio to prepare for protests.

The governor described the death of Rice, who was holding a toy gun when killed by police last year, as a "terrible tragedy." But Kasich called for cooler heads to prevail in the wake of the grand jury's decision.

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