Allies of Ohio Governor John Kasich have begun reaching out to Republican mega-donors in order to garner support for him in a possible 2020 showdown with President Donald Trump.
Even though Kasich has not decided yet whether he would run for president in 2020, GOP donors have made it clear to the governor’s top political allies that they would back him over Trump, sources say. They have promised to support Kasich under certain circumstances only, including whether Republicans can hold congressional majorities this fall and how close federal investigations get to Trump.
The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, also said the allies have suggested to Kasich that there are two scenarios in which he should challenge Trump in a primary. According to CNBC, the first would come after a potential 2018 congressional midterm wave that gives Democrats majorities in the House and the Senate, indicating to Republican donors that there’s a need for drastic change at the top.
The second scenario depends on the special counsel’s Russia investigation. Should the probe, looking into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russians, make its way into the Oval Office, it could provide an opportunity for Kasich to run.
The Ohio governor, who might run either as a Republican or an independent, said in a recent interview that he considered himself a “hybrid” Republican.
“I have people of all shapes, sizes, philosophies and party preferences that approach me. But what does that mean? I don’t know. I’m on television, so all the sudden they want to talk to me. Television moves everybody up, right?” he told the New York Times.
However, a former advisor to the governor believes that within the current political climate, Kasich could never beat Trump.
“Trump presently has about an 85 percent job approval among primary voters. Unless that dropped dramatically, no one can compete with him for the nomination,” the advisor, Charlie Black said.
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