CLEVELAND — Democratic Senate candidate and former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland praised current Ohio governor and former Republican primary candidate John Kasich for refusing to endorse Trump.
“Quite frankly, I’m proud of my governor,” Strickland said of Kasich, who defeated Strickland during his 2010 re-election campaign. “I can say I admire his integrity in the decision he has made not to give Donald Trump his endorsement to be president of this country.
“I think Gov. Kasich and the other Republicans are putting country over party and I can say I admire their patriotism that they understand that Donald Trump is unfit to be the commander in chief of our nation,” the former governor added, speaking from a Hillary for America-sponsored press conference, along with Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz on Monday.
Earlier in the day, top Trump aide Paul Manafort accused Kasich of “making a big mistake” by not endorsing Trump or attending the convention, and “embarrassing his state” in the process. The Ohio governor and Cleveland resident was the last primary Republican to remain in the race before Trump secured the nomination.
While Kasich will not step inside the convention arena, his campaign is holding a reception at the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame on Tuesday, as well as an event for former campaign staffers and prominent donors.
“The Republican leadership in Ohio is sending a message,” Strickland said. “If they thought that Donald Trump is going to do well in Ohio, they wouldn’t be avoiding him.”
