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New Hampshire voters handed first place to Donald Trump during the state's primary elections, but Ohio Gov. John Kasich got the second-place nod. That had some political analysts asking if Kasich may have a better chance at the White House than previously thought.
He’s a prodigy politician who talked his way into a meeting with then-President Richard Nixon at age 18 and won his first election into the state senate at age 24.
The former congressman and current Ohio governor re-elect has become best known for his conservative viewpoints and his ability to compromise. Kasich has worked as a television contributor for Fox News, has written three New York Times bestsellers and was once kicked out of a Grateful Dead concert for trying to get on stage.
He’s still sixth in the polls, but here’s where John Kasich stands on key issues.
Education: Support Common Core. Cut education spending.
The Ohio governor has defended the Common Core education standards and has criticized its opponents as “politically motivated.”
“We should have high standards, and the curriculum to meet high standards needs to be developed by local school boards, with parental advisers,” Kasich said in August 2015.
While Kasich has argued that his governing action in Ohio has strengthened the state’s school systems, new reports suggest a possible scandal and controversial state takeovers of failing schools are in question.
“For American students to be prepared for success in an increasingly competitive global economy, they must receive strong education support from parents and educators, including high expectations — especially in math and English,” Kasich’s website said. “John Kasich has put this priority to work in Ohio. He has also reinforced that education is a local responsibility, not one to be micromanaged by federal bureaucrats. Additionally, he has expanded school choice, worked to prevent students from dropping out and is helping make college more affordable.”
In crafting his state’s budget, Kasich used his veto power to cut more than $84 million of funding from public schools.
Climate change: Climate change is real, but scientific findings are questionable.
In 2012, Kasich said he believes climate change is real and is a problem. In the same speech, the Republican said the Environmental Protection Agency should not regulate emissions, but states and private companies should work to contain carbon output from coal-burning power plants.
Kasich generally gets credited as a moderate who believes in climate change, having previously said it's a problem, but one that he doesn't think we should overreact to. In the past he's also used the line about not worshiping the environment.
“Do I believe there is something called climate change? I do. Do I think that human beings affect it? I do. How much? Not enough for me to go out and cost somebody their job," Kasich said in October 2015. "I don't know that that's why you have flooding. I just don't know enough about it."
The Ohio governor indicated last year that he is concerned about protecting jobs while protecting the environment.
Criminal justice: Less prison time for nonviolent offenders. Focus on rehabilitation and treatment.
Prison and criminal justice reform have both been common themes during Kasich’s role as Ohio governor. In 2012, he approved a bill making it easier for ex-felons to get work, and in 2011, he approved a bill that favors rehabilitation over prison for people convicted of nonviolent crimes.
The GOP candidate has also harshly criticized prisons as holding “too many people who are mentally ill” and advocates increased treatment for mental disorders.
“There are more people in the country who are sitting in jails and prisons than in psychiatric hospitals. And these are people that, you know, on the proper medication, can get their lives back,” Kasich said in a 2015 interview with CNBC. “So if they're in jail, they cost us $22,500. If they get their lives back, they can do remarkable things to benefit society. I would prefer that.”
Immigration: Open path to legal status for undocumented immigrants.
Last June, Kasich said he believes undocumented immigrants — who otherwise follow the law — should be allowed to gain legal status. The Ohio governor said he prefers a legal status that does not lead to citizenship, but said a path to citizenship may be part of compromise talks.
"First of all, finish the fence, use modern technologies, drones, the sensors and all these things. Then have a guest worker program so people can come in, work and then leave. Our program is too narrow now. The 12 million that are here — I think we ought to find out who they are,” Kasich said in an interview with Fox News. “Obviously, they're going to have to pay a penalty for having jumped the fence. But at the same time, you know, if they've committed crimes, they got to be deported, put in jail. If anybody's been sneaking in recently, they should be sent back. And we need to look at our whole immigration system. But we got to fix this. ... Just get it fixed. And you know what Reagan did? Reagan did amnesty."
It’s a change from his 2010 stance when Kasich told the Columbus Dispatch he opposed any legal status for undocumented residents and wanted to end the practice of granting U.S. citizenship to all children born in the country.
Social issues: Accepts same-sex marriage. Ban abortions after 20 weeks, with an exception if the life of the mother is in danger.
Following the June Supreme Court ruling upholding same-sex marriage across the country, Kasich told CBS’ "Face the Nation" he believes in traditional marriage, but “the court has ruled and it’s time to move on.”
“I’m for traditional marriage. But now ... the court has ruled that’s where we’re gonna go and I’ve been to my first gay wedding,” Kasich said in an interview for theSkimm. “They had really good champagne. … Just because you go to a wedding, doesn’t mean you’re gonna get good champagne.”
Kasich is also a firm abortion opponent. In June 2013, he signed a bill into law to ban most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, allowing an exception only if the life of the mother is in danger. In 2015, Kasich indicated he was uncomfortable with a proposal that would have banned abortions as early as six weeks.
Islamic State and Iraq: Put U.S. boots on the ground to fight the Islamic State group.
Kasich believes in order to defeat the Islamic State group, the U.S. will eventually have to put combat troops on the ground.
“We must join a coalition with our European and Middle Eastern allies to defeat and destroy ISIS on the ground. Bombings are not enough. We must root them out and destroy them,” Kasich wrote in a CNN article last November.
In addition, Kasich has called for a better international plan to battle the group.
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