Oklahoma Sen. Jim Inhofe says his endorsement of Ohio Gov. John Kasich was a contingency plan for Donald Trump winning the Republican presidential nomination.
“I support John Kasich not so that he could be president, but so that if Donald Trump becomes president, I would want Trump to use him as a vice president because Kasich is one of the smartest guys I know,” Inhofe said in an interview published Sunday by Enid News.
Inhofe, who served with Kasich when the governor was in the House of Representatives, added that Kasich “knows everything Trump doesn’t.” With Kasich on the ticket, Trump would win the battleground state of Ohio in a general election, Inhofre said.
“The only way Trump is going to win is if he gets Ohio and Kasich as a VP,” Inhofe said. “We will wait and see if that works.”
Inhofe endorsed Kasich in March, after his first choice, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, dropped out of the race. “Out of the three still in the race for president, John is my guy,” Inhofe said in a statement at the time.
During his interview, the senator said he thinks Texas Sen. Ted Cruz will win the nomination.
