Lifelong Republican John Kasich Says He Will Vote For Joe Biden
Former Governor of Ohio John Kasich, who ran against Donald Trump in 2016, spoke at the Democratic National Convention on Monday. The lifelong Republican announced that he will vote for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, and urged fellow Republicans to abandon the president in the 2020 election.
In what would have been an unthinkable move for a loyal Republican, who worked for decades in the Ohio statehouse and Congress for conservative causes, Kasich said America could not allow four more years of Trump as the POTUS, accusing him of setting the people of the country against each other. In his speech, Kasich said the attachment of being a lifelong Republican holds second place, while the responsibility to the country comes first.
The speech was recorded at a literal country crossroads in Westerville, Ohio to represent the choice he sees facing the United States. Explaining why he opted to appear at the convention, Kasich pointed out that something like this would never have happened in normal times, but these aren't normal times.
He went on to offers a warm testimonial for Biden, who is slated to be endorsed as the Democratic nominee this week, describing him as "a good man, a man of faith, a unifier." He also argued against Trump's allegations that Biden was a weak-willed detainee to the "radical left of his party, The New York Times reported.
Noting that there are some Republicans, as well as independents who would not even think about crossing over to support Democrat as they'd expect Biden to turn sharp left and leave them behind, but Kasich does not believe that. He claimed that he knows the measure of the former vice president, who he described as reasonable, faithful, respectful, before adding that no one can push him around.
Kasich was accompanied by three other disappointed Republican political leaders including the chief executive of Quibi and a former candidate for governor of California Meg Whitman, former Representative Susan Molinari of New York, and former Gov. Christine Todd Whitman of New Jersey, who addressed the convention on its first night.
In a bid to support Biden, a series of everyday Republican voters was played in recorded messages. It will be interesting to see whether or not they draw other Republicans in large numbers. The featured leaders were touted as rising stars in their day. For instance, Ms. Molinari was the keynote speaker Republican National Convention in 1996.
The last election of Ms. Whitman as governor was in 1997. Although Kasich has held office more recently, he was able to win only one primary in his home state of Ohio in 2016.