Kasich Campaign Press Release - ICYMI: New York Daily News Endorses John Kasich

Note: Daily News Editorial Board says vote John Kasich: "His maturity and pragmatism shine, especially in contrast to the dangerous and disgraceful character of Donald Trump."

New York Daily News

April 13, 2016

New York's 2.7 million registered Republican voters can break the fever that torments their party by voting for principled, pragmatic conservatism in the April 19 presidential primary.

By his record of accomplishment in public life, by the credibility of his plans, by a temperament that marries a small government outlook with can-do effectiveness, Ohio Gov. John Kasich is highly suited to carry the GOP banner into the general election.

Kasich's qualifications are all the clearer — screamingly so — when matched against those of competitors Donald Trump and Ted Cruz.

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As a mature, grounded politician, Kasich competes well against them both.

Although he was largely overtalked in debates that were staged like gladiatorial contests, Kasich has nonetheless drawn the favorable attention of voters across the country. He alone runs ahead of Clinton in polls and is neck and neck with Sanders.

Kasich's support is well deserved, starting with deep and successful governmental experience.

Nine terms of congressional service included crafting the first U.S. balanced budget in nearly four decades. In 2010, he narrowly won election as Ohio governor and he was reelected in a landslide four years later. While meeting with the Daily News Editorial Board, he was both ebulliently folksy and fully versed on the innards of policy.

On the ideological spectrum, Kasich meets the tests of Republican conservatism.

He believes in reducing taxes to stimulate economic growth. He tried, and failed, to limit public employee collective bargaining rights in Ohio. He staunchly opposes abortion and stands up for Second Amendment rights. (He did support the 1994 assault weapons ban, but he would not reinstate the law.)

In the presidential campaign, he calls for cutting the top income tax rate from 39.6% to 28%, and rules out any increase in government spending, aside from the military and programs like Medicaid, for nine years. Although Ohio voters have indexed the state minimum wage (now $8.10) to inflation, he stands against hiking the federal minimum of $7.25.

Although far out of sync with the Daily News' philosophy, all of that says Kasich's presidential plans should please the GOP conservative faithful. At the same time, in an era frozen by dogma, he stands out for understanding that progress in a democracy can demand compromise.

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In the strongest possible terms, the Daily News endorses John Kasich in the April 19 Republican primary, first because he would well represent the Republican Party in November (when a contest with Clinton would be welcome) and second because every vote for Kasich is a vote against a recklessly arrogant man who would demean the highest office in the land.

Read the full editorial here.