John Kasich spiked the football with a statement pointing out he never endorsed Donald Trump. | AP Photo Kasich: I told you so The Republican who refused to endorse Trump says he's not surprised.

As the wall of Republican support for Donald Trump crumbled Saturday, Ohio Gov. John Kasich took a victory lap.

"Nothing that has happened in the last 48 hours is surprising to me or many others," said Kasich, referencing the video recording that became public Friday of Trump bragging to TV host Billy Bush about his ability to sexually assault attractive women with impunity because of his fame.


The statement from Kasich, a two-term swing state governor whose raised profile and anti-Trump stance position him as a top establishment contender for the GOP's 2020 nomination, was as much an explanation and a reminder as to why he's never been able to support Trump as it was a condemnation of the party's sinking nominee.

"Many people were angry and questioned why I would not endorse Donald Trump or attend the Republican Convention," he continued. "I’ve long had concerns with Donald Trump that go beyond his temperament. We have substantive policy differences on conservative issues like trade, our relationship with Russia, and the importance of balancing the federal budget.

"I’ve held out hope that he would change on those disqualifying policy positions, but he has not. I’ve also encouraged him to change his behavior for the better and offer a positive, inclusive vision for our country, but he has not.

"It's clear that he hasn't changed and has no interest in doing so," Kasich continued. "As a result, Donald Trump is a man I cannot and should not support. The actions of the last day are disgusting, but that’s not why I reached this decision, it has been an accumulation of his words and actions that many have been warning about. I will not vote for a nominee who has behaved in a manner that reflects so poorly on our country."

"Our country deserves better."

Trump, who apologized in a video statement released around midnight Friday, vowed not to step aside in the final month of the campaign despite calls from several high-ranking Republicans that he do so for the good of the party.

John Weaver, Kasich's strategist, said the Ohio governor "takes no delight" in seeing so many of his fellow Republicans join him on what had become a somewhat lonlier anti-Trump island in recent months. Nor did he dismiss the possibility that Kasich plans to be in the center of rebuilding the party after the 2016 cycle comes to an end.

"There has been significant damage done to the party, long-term damage to the brand with women, Hispanics, all people of color," Weaver said in a phone interview Saturday. "And it's not going to be solved in the midterm. Solving it will begin with a new nominee in 2020 and it's not going to be easy. We know what we need to do, it's a question of do we have the willpower?"