Kasich endorses GOP House candidate over Dem targeting centrist Republicans
Ohio Governor John Kasich (R) on Thursday endorsed a GOP House candidate over his Democrat opponent whose campaign strategy has been to target centrist Republicans aligned with Kasich.
Kasich endorsed Republican candidate Troy Balderson, a current Ohio state senator, in a statement that lauds his “common-sense, pragmatic” conservatism.
“For over three decades, the voters of Ohio’s 12th Congressional District have voted for common-sense, pragmatic conservative representation,” Kasich said in the statement. “I believe Troy Balderson will continue that tradition.”
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“We share views on many issues, including trade, national security and ending family separation at the border,” Kasich continued. “I will be voting for Troy and am proud to endorse him.”
Kasich has emerged as one of Trump’s most vocal critics in the GOP.
Balderson has referred to himself as a “Trump guy,” and President Trump last week endorsed him over O’Connor, whom he called “WEAK on Crime & Borders.”
Troy Balderson of Ohio is running for Congress against a Nancy Pelosi Liberal who is WEAK on Crime & Borders. Troy is the total opposite, and loves our Military, Vets & 2nd Amendment. EARLY VOTING just started with Election Day on August 7th. Troy has my Full & Total Endorsement!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 21, 2018
A recent television ad from O’Connor’s campaign features a woman who voted for both Kasich and Trump but is backing O’Connor.
“I voted for Trump because I didn’t like the way things were going in Washington, and now I’m supporting Danny O’Connor,” she says in the ad.
“John Kasich and Danny O’Connor both don’t worry about the labels of Democrat, Republican. They are going to get things done,” she says.
O’Connor and Balderson are facing off to replace retiring Rep. Pat Tiberi (R) in a special election next month. The Cook Political Report rates the suburban district a toss-up.
Rep. Conor Lamb (D) won a special election in Pennsylvania earlier this year in a district that voted for Trump during the 2016 election.
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