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Former CIA and NSA Director Michael Hayden endorsed Ohio Gov. John Kasich Wednesday, praising his "serious proposals to strengthen our military, defeat ISIS and stand up for freedom around the world." | AP Photo Former CIA director backs Kasich

John Kasich picked up the endorsement of former CIA and NSA Director Michael Hayden on Wednesday, who lauded the Ohio governor as the only candidate qualified to be commander in chief.

“Governor John Kasich, who served 18 years on the House Armed Services Committee, is the one candidate in the entire field with the best experience, expertise and leadership skills required to be Commander-in-Chief,” the retired four-star general said in a statement released by Kasich's campaign. “Governor Kasich has serious proposals to strengthen our military, defeat ISIS and stand up for freedom around the world—proposals that rise far above bumper-stickers and amateur rhetoric.”

Hayden's endorsement of Kasich comes as little surprise, given his past compliments of the governor on both policy and rhetoric compared to both Donald Trump and Ted Cruz.

"He is a very serious man, and he got good marks when he was on the committees. He did his homework," Hayden remarked of the governor last month.

Hayden has also taken issue with Donald Trump's proposals to reinstate enhanced interrogation techniques such as waterboarding and Ted Cruz's assertion that he would "carpet-bomb ISIS into oblivion."