Kasich backs Republican in key Ohio House special election
Ohio Gov. John Kasich and President Trump rarely agree on much, but they've both decided to back the GOP's Troy Balderson in his pivotal House special election bid.
Trump endorsed Balderson last week over Twitter, while Kasich announced he'll back the GOP candidate in a statement Thursday morning.
In his endorsement, the governor called for voters in the Republican-leaning district to vote for "common-sense, pragmatic conservative representation" like they have in the past. Kasich represented a portion of the district during his stint in Congress, but the district's lines have slightly changed since then.
"Troy was a partner in turning around Ohio as we passed tax cuts and balanced the budget," Kasich said.
"We share views on many issues, including trade, national security and ending family separation at the border. I will be voting for Troy and am proud to endorse him.”
Kasich's endorsement gives Balderson a united front in a state that's seen its Republican Party fiercely divided among "Kasich Republicans" and "Trump Republicans," remnants of a brutal 2016 presidential primary where Kasich became the de-facto leader of the GOP opposition to Trump.
Republicans hope that the signal from Kasich, who remains popular among moderate Republicans, will help the party hold the seat in the Aug. 7 special election.
Democrat Danny O'Connor has explicitly targeted Kasich voters during his campaign, launching a spot earlier this month that included a Kasich/Trump voter explaining why she's backing the Democrat this time. Democrats have also been trying to lump Balderson in with Trump after an interview with The Columbus Dispatch where he both referred to himself as a "Trump guy" and said he couldn't name an issue where he disagreed with the president.
But Balderson has sought to strike more of an independence in recent weeks. During an interview with The Guardian, Kasich pointed to that Dispatch article as a cause for caution, but added he's been encouraged by Balderson's public opposition to the president's trade platform and the separation of families at the border.