Former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge has endorsed Ohio Gov. John Kasich for president.
Ridge, who runs a consulting firm, formerly supported Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who dropped out of the race on Saturday night.
“I want to see proven conservative leadership in our nominee, not just the promise of conservative leadership, and that’s why John Kasich is my candidate,” Ridge said in a statement shared by Kasich’s campaign. “I’ve known him for more than 30 years, since we came to Congress together, and I’ve always respected the way he successfully unites people of different views to enact conservative policies. He did it in Ohio and helped turn around his state and he did it as chief architect of the balanced budget in Washington — something we haven’t seen since he left.”
Ridge argued that Kasich is capable of serving as president on “day one,” in contrast to some of his lesser experienced opponents.
Kasich created controversy on the campaign trail Monday, when he spoke of “women who left their kitchens” to support him. Kasich’s comment was received poorly by some in the room in Fairfax, Virginia, a suburb of Washington, D.C., where Kasich made the comment.
Kasich ranks fifth in the Washington Examiner‘s newest GOP presidential power rankings. Nevadans will caucus for the GOP on Tuesday.
