Republican Ohio Gov. John Kasich inched closer Sunday to announcing a 2020 presidential bid, saying he was having earnest conversations about the prospect of engaging in another campaign for the White House.
During an interview on ABC News’ “This Week,” Kasich said he is “very seriously” considering a bid when asked about his presidential ambitions. “These are earnest conversations that go on virtually every day with some of my friends, with my family. Look, we need different leadership, there isn’t any question about it. I’m not only just worried about the tone, and the name calling, and the division in our country, and the partisanship, but I also worry about the policies.”
“I’m out there trying to do what I can do,” he continued. “I don’t know when I will have to make a decision, but let’s not — let’s be clear, I’m not being coy. I’m [not] just trying to do this for some kind of a game. This is really, really serious to me.”
[Also read: It’s on! 2020 Democrats turn to toppling Trump]
Outgoing Ohio Gov. John Kasich tells @gstephanopoulos he is considering a 2020 run against President Trump “very seriously”
“We need different leadership, there isn’t a question about it … I’m worried about our country in the longterm” https://t.co/P6iz1j1VA4 #ThisWeek pic.twitter.com/DT3xa8COII
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) November 25, 2018
Kasich, an ardent critic of President Trump, did not directly answer a question about whether special counsel Robert Mueller’s impending findings from the federal Russia investigation would create an opportunity for him to challenge the sitting president in a Republican primary. He also downplayed speculation of forming a bipartisan ticket with Democratic Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper.
“Hickenlooper, love him, the name is too long. Hickenlooper-Kasich, you couldn’t fit it on a bumper sticker,” he said.
Kasich, who wraps up his second and last term as governor of the Buckeye State in January, previously ran for president in 2000 and 2016.
