GOP official: Kasich not voting for Trump a ‘shame’

Republican National Committee (RNC) chief strategist Sean Spicer on Tuesday said it was “a shame” Ohio Gov. John Kasich declined to vote for Donald Trump.

“We’d love to have his support. I think it would send a good message,” Spicer said during an interview on CNN’s “OutFront.”

{mosads}”We’re going to win Ohio regardless and it’s a shame because I think we could have won it more, greater and bigger, with John Kasich’s support,” he added.

Kasich, a former presidential candidate, voted for Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), the 2008 nominee, for president instead of casting his ballot for Trump. Kasich voted for the Republican candidates in other contests, according to his spokesman.

The Ohio governor has in the past strongly rebuked Trump and for months indicated he may not support the GOP nominee.

Spicer did offer praise for the Ohio governor’s record, calling him “a very good governor.” But the RNC official said his refusal to support the Republican nominee wouldn’t “look good for the Kasich legacy.”

“He did sign a pledge. He’s been a really good governor. He’s brought more people into this party,” Spicer said.

“It would have been good to bring everybody home.”

A vote for any other candidate besides Trump is a “de facto vote for Hillary Clinton,” Spicer argued.

“It’s a de facto vote for liberal judges, it’s a de facto vote for more corruption, more scandal,” he said.

“And I think that to make light of this is really misunderstanding the two trajectories that this country can go in.”