Christie supporter Langone now backing Kasich — One of Chris Christie's most high-profile fundraisers is throwing his money behind Ohio's John Kasich. Kasich campaign chief John Weaver says Ken Langone, the billionaire co-founder of Home Depot is now backing the Kasich campaign. Langone spokeswoman Pam Goldman confirmed the decision. Christie dropped his bid Wednesday following a disappointing sixth place finish in New Hampshire, the state in which he'd staked his candidacy. Langone did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but told The Associated Press Wednesday that Donald Trump's commanding New Hampshire win was a sign that voters are sick of the status quo. — The Associated Press
Kasich talks about death of parents in ad — John Kasich's campaign is taking to the airwaves in South Carolina with two television ads displaying different sides of the Ohio governor. In a more biographical spot, Kasich looks into the camera and talks about how his parents were killed by drunk drivers. He says the experience "transformed" him and helped him find his faith and a purpose in life. Kasich's parents were killed in 1987, when Kasich was serving in Congress. The second ad features a narrator with a Southern accent talking about Kasich'sfirst 100 days in office, during which he's pledged to secure the border, cut taxes and freeze regulations. — The Associated Press
Republican John Kasich made 29 visits to New Hampshire that included 190 presidential campaign stops over the course of more than half a year. In South Carolina, he has less than 10 days.
On Wednesday afternoon, the Ohio governor made his first campaign stop in the Palmetto State after his momentum-generating, second-place finish in New Hampshire’s primary.
After deploying an all-in strategy in New England, where he finished behind billionaire Donald Trump, Kasich has a huge challenge ahead of the Feb. 20 South Carolina primary and the other races that will rapidly follow. His strategy was that a strong finish in New Hampshire would boost his national profile and help fundraising. But money, staffing, tone and time are issues that are going to complicate his campaign’s bid to replicating this week’s achievement in the Palmetto State.
“We built an army of people who showed up in snow and rain, with a positive message,” he said Wednesday, still reveling in his second-place finish. “I wish you could have been there to see it.”
‘I’m not going to be a pincushion’
The standing room-only event at a pizza restaurant in suburban Charleston drew about 400 people, including dozens who waited outside in temperatures not much above freezing. But it didn’t take long for the anticipated hard-knuckle tactics of this race to be brought up by a questioner who asked Kasich whether he would continue to campaign in a mostly positive manner or if he would move to the “dark side.”
“I’m not going to be a pincushion or a marshmallow, but I’m also not going to spend my time trying to trash other people,” he said.
“We’re going to do as well as we can here, and then we’re moving on,” he told reporters after his event. “I’m really looking forward to the South. I’m really looking forward to the Midwest. I can’t wait to go to Michigan.”
Chances are good in Midwest
That state holds its primary March 8 and is a place where a Midwest governor such as Kasich might more easily find support. After that primary, Kasich has another prime opportunity when his home state of Ohio votes on March 15, and primary delegates are awarded on a winner-take-all basis.
Kasich got in the race late, on July 21, and surged from the back of the pack by focusing almost all of his time and efforts on New Hampshire. He spent little time in Iowa before the Feb. 1 caucuses and finished eighth there.
He was able to connect with voters in New Hampshire, despite an anti-establishment mood among many primary-goers by touting his experience as a two-term governor and 18-year member of Congress, a record of sound fiscal management in Washington and Ohio, and a willingness to help the less fortunate.
‘A reasonable Republican’
There hasn’t been much recent polling in South Carolina, but he stands at 2 percent in the RealClearPolitics average of surveys. As for finances, his campaign had just $2.5 million on hand as of Dec. 31, according to Federal Election Commission reports. A person close to Kasich’s campaign, who wasn’t authorized to speak on the record for the campaign, said calls have been coming in from donors since his New Hampshire finish. Raising money will become more of a focus, this person said, because of Kasich’s growing campaign expenses as his leanly run operation expands to other states.
Kasich’s record, which including expanding Medicaid under President Barack Obama’s health-care overhaul, appealed to moderates, independents and even Democrats in New Hampshire. It won him endorsements from newspapers including the New York Times, but it also drew opposition from conservatives and raised questions about how it will be received in the South.
“He’s become Democrats’ idea of a reasonable Republican and that’s just slow death,” said Dante Scala, an associate professor of political science at the University of New Hampshire.
On the ground in South Carolina
Asked on Tuesday how many workers the campaign had on the ground in South Carolina, John Weaver, Kasich’s chief strategist, replied, “We have about 12 and tomorrow we’ll have about 25.”
New Day for America, the super political action committee backing Kasich, said it has the strongest grassroots operation in South Carolina of any such group, with eight full-time staff and representation in every congressional district since September. New Day said it recently placed a $500,000 ad buy in both South Carolina and Nevada.
“Despite what we’ve heard from political pundits and other candidates in this race, John Kasich’s support in South Carolina is strong and growing,” Chris Slick, South Carolina director for the super-PAC, said in a statement.
“This is going to be a national campaign,” Weaver said. “South Carolina is important, and we’re looking forward to running against Bush all over the country.”
When one woman in the audience told Kasich she was concerned about reports that he has a “prickly personality” and questioned whether he really could get things done, Kasich responded jokingly. “No, I probably can’t. OK, next question.”
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