Kasich responds to Trump attack tweet with GIF of Putin laughing

Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) responded to a Twitter attack from President Trump on Monday with a GIF of Russian President Vladimir Putin laughing.

Trump went after his former Republican presidential primary opponent earlier in the morning, accusing Kasich of “tamping down enthusiasm” for Republican House candidate Troy Balderson.

“The very unpopular Governor of Ohio (and failed presidential candidate) @JohnKasich hurt Troy Balderson’s recent win by tamping down enthusiasm for an otherwise great candidate,” Trump tweeted. “Even Kasich’s Lt. Governor lost Gov. race because of his unpopularity. Credit to Troy on the BIG WIN!”

The very unpopular Governor of Ohio (and failed presidential candidate) @JohnKasich hurt Troy Balderson’s recent win by tamping down enthusiasm for an otherwise great candidate. Even Kasich’s Lt. Governor lost Gov. race because of his unpopularity. Credit to Troy on the BIG WIN!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 13, 2018

{mosads}

Kasich endorsed Balderson over Democrat Danny O’Connor before the special election and the Republican holds a narrow lead for the state’s reliably red 12th District seat.

Kasich’s reply was a chuckling Putin. 

pic.twitter.com/wqtmN9SwhT

— John Kasich (@JohnKasich) August 13, 2018

Kasich said Sunday that the hotly contested race should serve as a message that the GOP needs to “stop the chaos.”

“What you had is a, I think, a message from the voters to the Republicans that you’ve got to stop the chaos and you’ve got to get more in tune and stop alienating people,” Kasich said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

The two-term governor, who ran against Trump in the 2016 GOP primary, has become an outspoken critic of the president.

He said on Sunday that he hasn’t ruled out a 2020 presidential run.

A Quinnipiac University poll from June found that Kasich has a 52 percent job approval rating in the state, compared to a 36 percent disapproval rating.

Trump frequently takes to Twitter to label special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russia’s election meddling and possible ties between the president’s campaign and Moscow as a “hoax.”