John Kasich's struggling presidential campaign got a financial boost this week, when almost $200,000 was raised in a single night at a prominent fundraiser's home in Virginia.

Kasich, the Ohio governor who is trailing far behind Donald Trump Donald John TrumpObama calls on Senate not to fill Ginsburg's vacancy until after election Planned Parenthood: 'The fate of our rights' depends on Ginsburg replacement Progressive group to spend M in ad campaign on Supreme Court vacancy MORE and Ted Cruz Rafael (Ted) Edward CruzSenate Republicans face tough decision on replacing Ginsburg Cruz: Trump should nominate a Supreme Court justice next week Renewed focus on Trump's Supreme Court list after Ginsburg's death MORE in the overall delegate count, is in dire need of cash. The Kasich campaign finished February with less than $1.3 million cash on hand, which means its ongoing financial viability is a week-by-week proposition.

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But the candidate has now got several well-connected fundraisers on his side and this week one came through for him.

Bobbie Kilberg, a Virginia businesswoman and fundraiser who previously supported unsuccessful Republican candidates Jeb Bush and Chris Christie, hosted Kasich and 162 donors at her McLean, Va., home on Wednesday night. She pulled the fundraiser together in less than three weeks.

Kilberg declined to say how much was raised, besides saying it was "substantial."

But a source told The Hilll that at the Kilberg event, a total for the night of more than $190,000 was announced.

Asked about the high total during a telephone interview on Friday, Kilberg said, "If I had tried to do a fundraiser for John Kasich two months ago, we would not have reached anywhere that total."

While a number of Republican establishment donors and fundraisers have vented to The Hill that Kasich is selfish or deluded for staying in the race despite losing badly in delegates, Kilberg says a growing number of donors are receptive to her message: that Kasich needs to stay in to bring about a contested convention and so deny Trump the nomination.

"My pitch [to donors] is that if you want an open convention, so that there will be an alternative to Donald Trump, you need to keep John Kasich in this race," Kilberg said.

"You need John Kasich in there to appeal to delegates who Ted Cruz will not appeal to, and you need Ted Cruz to appeal to delegates that John Kasich will not appeal to," she added.

"You need them both in an aggregate to have enough delegates... to cause an open convention."

Kilberg pushed back against the suggestion that it must have been hard work raising money for a candidate that has been getting thumped at the ballot box.

"He's beginning to catch on and people are beginning to listen to his message," she said.

"I felt a sense of excitement and dynamism at my house on Wednesday night that was refreshing and that I think was very helpful for him."