Josh Mandel

Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel, shown in a 2012 file photo, doesn't seem like a likely recipient of Ohio Gov. John Kasich's endorsement.

(Tony Dejak, The Associated Press)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In a national podcast released Tuesday, Republican Ohio Gov. John Kasich indicated he may not endorse GOP Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel's bid for the U.S. Senate if Mandel turns out to be a "negative guy."

But Mandel, who is seeking to unseat Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in 2018, doesn't seem to be losing any sleep over Kasich's possible endorsement, judging from a Mandel spokesman's response to Kasich's comments, made on Politico's "Off Message" podcast.

"It's no secret that Josh Mandel supported Donald Trump during the campaign, stuck with him in the rocky times, and continues to support him as President," the spokesman, Chris Berry, said in a Wednesday email to cleveland.com. "We understand that Josh's support for President Trump may upset Governor Kasich, and we respect his decision whenever the time is right for him. Either way, Josh is the hardened, unabashed conservative and Marine vet, ready to win a primary and ready to beat Sherrod Brown."

In his new book and during a promotional tour, Kasich, an unsuccessful 2016 presidential candidate, has criticized Trump's political approach as harmful, fact-challenged and divisive. When asked on the podcast for his thoughts about politicians like Mandel, who since the November election has adopted some of Trump's methods as his own, Kaisch cut off interviewer Edward-Isaac Dovere mid-question.

"Any politician who is going to be in the dividing business, I'm not helping," Kasich said. Pressed further if he would help Mandel, the only declared candidate in the race, he continued, "Well, I don't know what he's going to be saying. But if he's a negative guy, if he's a divider, I won't."

Asked about Mandel's 2012 Senate bid, Kasich said: "Yeah, I helped him then. But if you're going to change and kind of double down on something or change who you are, I want to see who you are."

While Mandel is the only declared Republican in the Senate race, GOP U.S. Rep. Pat Tiberi, a longtime Kasich political ally, is considering his own run.

Kasich and Mandel have a chilly relationship dating back years. In 2015, Mandel rankled Kasich loyalists after he endorsed Florida Sen. Marco Rubio rather than wait for Kasich to enter the Republican presidential primary, leading then-Ohio GOP Chairman Matt Borges to refer to Mandel as a "bit player."