Ohio Gov. John Kasich hinted Sunday that he is ready to jump into the GOP race for president, saying he’s “very optimistic about where we’re headed.”
Mr. Kasich, a Republican, said his team is “getting closer” to making a firm decision about the 2016 contest and he is soliciting financial support while he tests the waters in key primary states.
“I’m pretty qualified for this kind of a job,” he told ABC’s “This Week,” citing his executive work in a large state and 18 years in Congress.
While Mr. Kasich boasts a long resume, some in the GOP have lambasted his positions as inadequately conservative, notably his embrace of Medicaid expansion under Obamacare.
Also, he would enter the presidential race as a late underdog who wouldn’t qualify for a spot on the stage in early debates.
Unfazed, Mr. Kasich said there’s plenty of time for him to catch fire.
“You go to New Hampshire and you do well and you’re on a rocket ship,” he said.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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