John Kasich

Ohio Gov. John Kasich speaks with sportsmen during a campaign stop at Morse Sporting Goods store this week in Hillsboro, N.H.

(Jim Cole, The Associated Press)

For John Kasich, the polls giveth, the polls taketh away. But at least he has some fun with Sarah Palin and Donald Trump. Read more in today's Ohio Politics Roundup.

How real is John Kasich's momentum? Recent polls show the Ohio governor very much in the mix for second place in New Hampshire. But results of an American Research Group survey released Tuesday might have raised expectations a little too soon. That poll placed Kasich at 20 percent - his highest share yet in the first primary state.

Many observers noted ARG's spotty record but nonetheless used the poll to feed a fresh round of Kasich-on-the-rise coverage. Then came Wednesday's release of a CNN/WMUR poll putting Kasich at 6 percent, tied for fourth in New Hampshire.

What you should keep in mind: Kasich was trending upward in the state, with or without the ARG poll. And Gravis, which conducts oft-scrutinized automated polls, found Kasich in second with 15 percent over the same period as ARG's survey. Overall, the RealClearPolitics.com average of polls ranks Kasich second in New Hampshire.

In other words, it's not as simple as saying a Kasich surge came and went in 24 hours. A single poll doesn't signify a trend, just as a single poll doesn't reverse a trend.

Behind the Kasich climb: "At least in New Hampshire, where independents can vote in the GOP primary, Kasich has created his own lane. Currently in the midst of an eight-day swing across the state, he is stumping mostly in counties that Barack Obama carried four years ago," Politico's Eli Stokols reports. "His strength here, where 44 percent of voters are registered as independents, is a reminder of his potential general election appeal."

Not quite ignoring Iowa: Though Kasich has been marshaling most of his time and resources to New Hampshire, he is paying some attention to the first caucus state.

On Wednesday his campaign announced endorsements from five former state legislators - ex-Sen. Bob Brunkhorst and ex-Reps. John Clark, George Eichorn, Darrell Hanson and Doug Struyk - and from Joan Bolin Betts, the former assistant state treasurer.

Snarking Sarah Palin: Kasich took a subtle shot at the former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee, who endorsed Donald Trump this week.

"Good for Sarah, she's back in the news again," he told CNN's Wolf Blitzer.

Are Ohio Republicans warming to the Donald? "Quietly," reports Akron Beacon Journal editorial writer Steve Hoffman, "some ... are wondering if the time may be near to reach out to Donald Trump as the party's eventual nominee. "Virtually all GOP leaders in the state stand behind John Kasich ... . But that hasn't stopped talk about Trump.

"One GOP leader in Northeast Ohio recently advised deep-thinkers in Washington to turn on CNN. His point? Trump has been able to get the kind of publicity that can't be purchased at any price, and everything he says appears to help his standing in the polls."

Ted Strickland not sweating over Senate race struggles: "The fact is that I don't need as much money as Sen. [Rob] Portman to win," the Democratic Senate hopeful former governor said Wednesday after a roundtable discussion with steelworkers in Lorain. "I need enough money to get my message out and I'm feeling pretty good."

Strickland also isn't sweating primary rival PG Sittenfeld and feels confident he'll win the right to challenge Portman in the fall, cleveland.com's Mary Kilpatrick reports.

So why won't he debate Sittenfeld? The Plain Dealer/cleveland.com editorial board is not happy with Strickland's decision to snub a City Club of Cleveland invitation.

"Strickland's refusal to debate raises a practical question," editors write. "If a candidate fears the give and take of campaign debates, how can that person hope to succeed when sparring on behalf of Ohio in the U.S. Senate? What's more, shunning debate can easily come across as arrogance - the very last thing voters want in a candidate."

Steven Dettelbach steps down: The U.S. attorney for Ohio's Northern District announced his resignation Wednesday, cleveland.com's Eric Heisig reports.

"Dettelbach, 50, will leave office on Feb. 5. He will be taking a job at the BakerHostetler law firm, where he worked before he was appointed, sources say.

First assistant Carole Rendon will take the top job. Dettelbach, a Democrat appointed by Obama in 2009, could re-emerge down the line as a political appointee or candidate.

Bestiality bill is back: "Ohio is one of only a dozen states without a specific law banning bestiality. Once again, a Franklin County lawmaker is trying to change that," the Columbus Dispatch's Jim Siegel reports. "Sen. Jim Hughes, R-Columbus, has joined Sen. Jay Hottinger, R-Newark, in the push to ban an [illicit] sexual activity that law enforcement says has links to child sex abuse and other deviant behavior."

Kevin Boyce's bad week: "Contrary to what federal investigators are reporting, former Ohio Treasurer Kevin Boyce wasn't at a lunch meeting with his top aides, his campaign fundraiser and bankers where demands for political donations were allegedly made, according to Boyce's attorney," reports the Dayton Daily News' Laura A. Bischoff.

"The SEC last week announced that State Street Bank and Trust agreed to pay a $12 million fine to settle federal charges that it conducted a pay-to-play scheme through a top manager, funneled bribe money to then-deputy treasurer Amer Ahmad by hiring [M. Noure] Alo as its Columbus-based lobbyist and made illegal political campaign donations to Boyce.

"Ohio Republican Party Chairman Matt Borges said it's time for Boyce, who is now a state representative running for Franklin County commissioner, to explain." Boyce's attorney "said he is working on details of a Boyce press conference."

Downstate squabbling: "A conflict within the Franklin County Democratic Party that was stoked during last year's Columbus mayoral campaign has erupted into all-out war for control of the party," the Dispatch's Rick Rouan reports.

Finally, your fun click(s) for the day: Presidential candidates and their pets, compiled by cleveland.com's Sabrina Eaton.

Tips or links? Send here. Follow along on Twitter: @henryjgomez.

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