John Kasich says he has no interest in being vice president. WKSU’s M.L. Schultze has more on the Ohio governor’s counter to speculation that -- if his GOP presidential bid fails – he’ll still appear on the November ballot.
After his speech to the Council on Foreign Relations Wednesday, Kasich was asked what he’d do if Donald Trump asked him to be his running mate.
“I wouldn’t run for vice president on any ticket. I’m not running for vice president. I got the second best job in America: Governor of Ohio. So don’t be thinking about vice president for Kasich. Ain’t going to happen. Mark my words. Because I think I can win.”
Kasich has frequently been mentioned as a potential running mate for other GOP candidates, including Marco Rubio. But he said he’s sure he’ll do well enough in New Hampshire to boost his own presidential hopes. Kasich is in his second term as governor and is term limited.
Kasich also was pressed on whether he’d still support Donald Trump if Trump wins the GOP nomination. His answer suggested he might back away from the promise he and the rest of the GOP field made this summer to support the eventual nominee.
“I signed a pledge – it’s why you have to be careful what pledges you sign – that I would support the Republican nominee. Now look. Is it possible that you change your mind? Yeah. It takes something extreme to do it. But I would tell you sir: There’s no way that Donald Trump’s going to be president.”
Kasich has been the most strident critic of Trump among the GOP candidates – even before Trump’s most recent comments on barring Muslims from entering the U.S.
