Readers,
As some of you may know, American Recycler is based out of Perrysburg, Ohio. Recently, we Ohioans got some interesting news – our very own Governor, John Kasich, has officially announced his candidacy for the presidency.
As the 16th major Republican candidate, his candidacy may seem like a non-starter, but there are several reasons not to write him off yet. Firstly, Kasich enjoys broad support in Ohio – a critical swing state in the general election. Since 1960 or so, no Republican president has taken office without first winning Ohio in the general election. Having won his last gubernatorial race by a landslide – taking 86 of 88 counties – no other candidate can bring that sort of swing-state support to the Republican ticket. In fact, some polls show Kasich easily beating Hillary in Ohio.
Secondly, while he hasn’t managed to match the funding of Jeb Busch or Donald Trump, he has managed to come up with a decent amount of capital for his campaign. Prior to his formal announcement, a non-profit organization that was created in April to kick start his candidacy managed to raise almost $12 million to promote him. That he managed to raise so much in such a short time, in spite of his centrist views and somewhat abrasive handling of his donors, speaks well of his ability to continue to generate capital going forward in his campaign.
Third, Kasich has a great conservative resume. His tenure in Congress and as governor of Ohio have proven that he is comfortable with budget numbers, and working to keep them balanced (and low). He’s implemented measures to make Ohio more business-friendly, cut taxes and helped Ohio reduce unemployment at rates that outpace the rest of the nation. He’s also unapologetically religious, but whether that will help or hinder him on a diverse national stage remains to be seen.
Kasich does have some issues that he’ll have to overcome if his candidacy is to have any staying power. He’ll have to temper his usual bluntness and perhaps work on being a little less prickly. And he’ll also need to work on establishing better donor relationships, and try not to say things that cause them to leave his fundraising events prematurely.
But the biggest factor that Kasich has in his favor? He’s not Trump.
Until next month,
Esther Fournier
Publisher & Editor
American Recycler News
Published in the August 2015 Edition of American Recycler News
