John Kasich to announce presidential bid July 21

Ohio Gov. John Kasich will jump into the crowded Republican presidential field on July 21 at the student union at his alma mater, The Ohio State University, in Columbus, advisers tell POLITICO.

Kasich, 63, who was overwhelmingly reelected in November, will aim to appear less scripted and guarded than the leading candidates. Advisers say he combines establishment appeal with a conservative record going back to his stint as House Budget Committee chairman, during his 18 years as a congressman from Ohio.


Despite his late start, Kasich will be one of the most closely watched candidates — partly because Ohio is such a crucial presidential state, putting Kasich on many short lists for vice president.

Kasich briefly pursued a presidential bid in the 2000 cycle, but got no traction and dropped out in July 1999, endorsing then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush.

For Kasich’s announcement on July 21, doors will open at 9:30 a.m. at The Ohio Union at Ohio State.

The announcement date puts Kasich a week behind the other Midwestern governor in the race, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who plans to announce the week of July 13.

The July launch gives Kasich a shot at raising his national profile enough to qualify for the first GOP debate, on Aug. 6 in his home state. But participation in the Cleveland debate will be based on national polling, and Kasich advisers admit that qualifying will be tough, even with his announcement bump.

Kasich, who graduated from Ohio State in 1974, can expect an excited crowd in the Buckeye capital. He’ll follow his kickoff rally with an announcement tour that includes Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Michigan.

The GOP talent pool is getting shallow, with so many credible candidates vying for the nomination. But Kasich landed two of the best-known names in Republican politics:

His chief strategist will be John Weaver, mastermind of John McCain’s insurgent campaigns of 2000 and 2008. And the lead consultant for Kasich’s super PAC, New Day for America, will be ad maker Fred Davis, based in the Hollywood Hills, who worked on McCain ’08 and has had several viral hits. Both worked on Jon Huntsman’s presidential campaign in 2012.

Matt Carle, who ran Kasich’s successful reelection campaign, will play a role on the campaign or at the super PAC.

An adviser said Kasich will be positioned “in Jeb’s back right pocket” — with establishment appeal, but slightly more conservative.

Kasich has made his hunger for the job apparent in recent months, with a series of interviews, stops in D.C., and visits to early states.

In a May interview with Jonathan Karl on ABC’s “This Week,” Kasich said: “I’ve been very pleased with what I’ve found out on the ground in New Hampshire, South Carolina, Michigan. … I hope people will help me, if they like my sort of unique voice in this whole thing, and we look at organization. … I [am] increasingly optimistic about all of this.”

Kasich called himself “the most experienced in the field, with being an executive running a big state like Ohio, dealing with problems like [shootings by police in] Cleveland. At the same time, being in Congress, balancing the budget — I was the chairman — and also serving on the defense committee for 18 years.”

Acknowledging he’s an underdog, Kasich said: “You know the way this system works. You know, you go to New Hampshire and you do well and you’re on a rocket ship.”

Asked about being the vice presidential nominee, Kasich replied: “Forget it. … Forget it. … Forget it, Jon. I don’t play for seconds.”

Jonathan Karl said with a laugh: “I’m going to save this tape.”

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