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Kasich's Presidential Bid Picks Up Endorsement of Ohio GOP

photo of Matt Borges
STATEHOUSE NEWS BUREAU

The Ohio Republican Party’s governing body has voted to endorse Governor John Kasich in his bid for president. Ohio Public Radio’s Jo Ingles reports.

It’s rare for the state party to endorse a presidential candidate at this stage in the election cycle but Party Chairman Matt Borges says there’s good reason to break tradition.

“It’s the first time we have had a republican get this far in the process in 70 years. It’s the first time we have a convention coming to Ohio in 80 years.”

The 44 to 9 vote to endorse Kasich is being criticized by some conservatives. Tea Party Activist Tom Zawistowski says Republican party leaders are not representing the majority of its members.

“You’re the Kasich political machine and you are trying to influence the vote for your candidate.”

Zawistowski says more than 80% of those his group has surveyed support someone other than Kasich but Borges notes Kasich won re-election with 64% of the vote.

Jo Ingles is a professional journalist who covers politics and Ohio government for the Ohio Public Radio and Television for the Ohio Public Radio and Television Statehouse News Bureau. She reports on issues of importance to Ohioans including education, legislation, politics, and life and death issues such as capital punishment. Jo started her career in Louisville, Kentucky in the mid 80’s when she helped produce a televised presidential debate for ABC News, worked for a creative services company and served as a general assignment report for a commercial radio station. In 1989, she returned back to her native Ohio to work at the WOSU Stations in Columbus where she began a long resume in public radio.