John Kasich
Encyclopedia
John Richard Kasich (ˈkeɪsɨk; born May 13, 1952) is the 69th and current Governor of Ohio. A member of the Republican Party
, he previously served as a member of the United States House of Representatives
, representing from 1983 to 2001. He was a commentator on Fox News Channel
, hosting Heartland with John Kasich
, from 2001 to 2007.
In the 2010 Ohio gubernatorial election
, Kasich narrowly defeated Democratic
incumbent Ted Strickland
, receiving 49% of the vote.
, the son of Anne and John Kasich, who worked as a mail carrier. His father was of Czechoslovakian descent and his mother was of Croatian ancestry. After attending public schools in McKees Rocks, he enrolled at Ohio State University
, where he joined the Alpha Sigma Phi
fraternity. He earned a Bachelor of Arts
degree in political science from Ohio State in 1974.
He originally worked as a researcher for the Ohio Legislative Service Commission. From 1975 to 1978, he served as an administrative assistant to then-state Senator
Buz Lukens
.
, representing the 15th district, after defeating Democratic
incumbent Robert O'Shaughnessy
with 56% of the vote. At age 26, he was the youngest person ever elected to the Ohio Senate. One of his first acts as a state senator was to refuse a pay raise.
in 1982, defeating incumbent Bob Shamansky
. Kasich was reelected eight times, serving from 1983 to 2001.
(NAFTA).
In 1994, Kasich was one of the Republican leaders to support a last-minute deal with President Bill Clinton
to pass the Federal Assault Weapons Ban
. After a series of meetings with Clinton's Chief of Staff, Leon Panetta
, who was also a long-time friend of Kasich, the assault weapons ban was passed when 42 Republicans crossed party lines and voted with the Democrats to ban assault weapons.
Kasich is considered a fiscal conservative, taking aim at programs supported by Republicans and Democrats, teaming up with Rep. Ron Dellums
to cut spending on the B-2 Bomber and Ralph Nader
in seeking to reduce corporate tax loopholes.
During the 1996 presidential campaign, Republican nominee Bob Dole
was reported to have considered Kasich as a vice presidential running mate but instead selected Jack Kemp
, a former congressman and HUD Secretary
. During his 1996 re-election campaign Kasich's Democratic opponent in his House race, Cynthia Ruccia, made comments apparently questioning Kasich's sexuality in an attempt to damage him with conservative voters. Ruccia raised the question of the propriety of bachelor Kasich sharing a Washington townhouse with his male chief-of-staff for several years while the staffer drew a large government salary. He won the 1996 election anyway.
In 1993, he became the Ranking Republican on the House Budget Committee where he authored an alternative to Clinton's deficit reduction plan that he presented as relying on spending reductions rather than tax increases. Later that year, the Penny
-Kasich Plan, which proposed $103 billion in cuts to federal spending over 5 years, including a politically risky reduction of Medicare payments for recipients who earn $75,000 or more in adjusted gross income, failed by only six votes.
Kasich also served as chair of the congressional committee on welfare reform
. In 1994, Kasich was called in by Republicans who supported Clinton's Omnibus Crime Bill of 1994 to assist in helping to reduce the overall cost. His support of the bill helped it pass the House, but provisions that outlawed some firearms did not win him fans among gun rights supporters. Many of his constituents were upset that he promised to oppose gun control during his previous election, then voted in favor of it.
In 1999 Kasich voted for the Barr Amendment, which prohibited medical cannabis
in the District of Columbia.
, Kasich was selected to become Chairman of the House Budget Committee. As Chairman, Kasich worked towards balancing the Federal Budget, and was the chief architect of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997
. As Chairman of the Budget Committee, Kasich claimed credit for the only U.S. Budget Surplus since 1969.
In 1995, when Kasich assumed the position of Budget Chairman, the U.S. Federal Budget had a deficit of roughly -$163 billion, and upon the conclusion of his tenure as Budget Chairman, the U.S. Federal Budget had a surplus of over $236 billion. Kasich claimed credit for the surplus in a budget that the GOP-controlled Congress passed into law.
to run for President
.
He formerly hosted Heartland with John Kasich
on the Fox News Channel
and also guest hosted The O'Reilly Factor
, filling in for Bill O'Reilly
as needed. Kasich frequently appeared as a guest host and analyst on Hannity & Colmes
and now Hannity
.
Kasich served on the board of directors for several corporations, including Invacare Corporation and Chicago-based Norvax Inc. In 2001, Kasich joined Lehman Brothers
' investment banking
division in Columbus as a managing director. He remained at the company until its bankruptcy filing and subsequent breakup in September 2008. For his work in 2007-2008, Lehman Brothers paid Kasich $182,692 for his 2008 salary, a $432,000 performance bonus for 2007, and $2,250 in other benefits.
Republicans tried to recruit Kasich for Governor of Ohio in 2006; however Kasich declined to enter the race.
Kasich "always had an independent streak", said his friend, Curt Steiner, former chief of staff to former Ohio Governor and U.S. Senator George Voinovich
. "He's a solid Republican, but he's always had his own views. [He's] a biological Democrat" [... his parents were Democrats]. "He came from an average background. He's in touch with people. He's not a Beltway thinker."
In early 2007, Kasich was reportedly considering making a serious run for Governor of Ohio in 2010, seeking the Republican nomination to unseat incumbent Ted Strickland
. In March 2008, Kasich said that Ohio's state income tax should be "phased out."
In 2008, Kasich was named the Honorary Chairman of Recharge Ohio; an organization with the stated purpose of electing leaders who would "get our state back on track." Kasich said that he hoped that through Recharge Ohio, he could "provide the framework necessary to allow Ohio to become a leader in economic and educational success."
. He formally announced his candidacy on June 1, 2009. On January 15, 2010 Kasich announced current Ohio State Auditor
Mary Taylor
as his running mate.
On May 4, 2010, he won the Republican nomination for governor, having run unopposed. On November 2, 2010 he defeated incumbent Democrat Ted Strickland to win the governorship. He was sworn in at midnight on January 10, 2011 in a private ceremony at the Ohio Statehouse
in Columbus. It was then followed by a ceremonial inauguration at the Ohio Theatre at noon on the same day.http://www.10tv.com/live/content/local/stories/2011/01/09/story-columbus-kasich-inauguration-preview.html?sid=102
Violation of campaign finance allegations
John Kasich's former employer, News Corp., was accused in 2010 of making improper campaign solicitations for Kasich's campaign. The company hired attorneys to defend themself in an Ohio Elections Commission investigation, who argued that the allegations were not only baseless but also designed to have a "chilling effect" on future press coverage. The Ohio Elections Commission voted 5-0 against finding any violation by FoxNews.
Gov. Kasich made a comment in front of the Environmental Protection Agency on January 21, 2011 where he called a Columbus Police Officer an idiot for giving him a traffic violation in 2008 that he later pled guilty in court for.
, who served with Kasich in Congress, it was stated that the money was specifically allocated only for a high speed rail system, and could not be used for anything else. On December 3, 2010, in a meeting with President Barack Obama
, Kasich once again lobbied for the ability to use the money for another project. With the federal grant to be used specifically for high speed rail, this resulted in $400 million being redirected from Ohio towards high speed rail projects in other states such as California and Florida.
signed an executive order allowing for collective bargaining opportunities for in-house child care workers, Kasich stated he would not continue the subsidies.
During a speech before Ashtabula County Republicans in March 2009, Kasich talked about the need to "break the back of organized labor in the schools," according to the Ashtabula Star Beacon. Ohio's teachers' unions supported Democrat Ted Strickland, and after Kasich's gubernatorial victory, he said, “I am waiting for the teachers’ unions to take out full-page ads in all the major newspapers, apologizing for what they had to say about me during this campaign."
Elsewhere, he said he was willing to work with "unions that make things."
"Police officers in Ohio already do difficult and dangerous work, so it doesn't help when the governor calls an officer doing his job and protecting the public an 'idiot,'" said Ohio Fraternal Order of Police president Jay McDonald.
The Ohio Democratic Party unearthed video of Kasich's comments and put it on YouTube
. Democrats and the Fraternal Order of Police have noted that Kasich is backing Senate Bill 5, a proposal that would end collective bargaining in Ohio, which would directly impact police officers and other government organized labor workers.
form of Christianity
after his parents were both killed in an automobile crash in 1987. However, he does not identify himself with the Christian right
.
Kasich amicably divorced his first wife, Mary Lee Griffith, who helped campaign for him after the divorce during the 1990s. He is currently married to his second wife, Karen. Their twin daughters, Emma and Reese, attend Worthington
Christian schools.
Kasich has authored three books. Courage is Contagious was published in 1998 and made the New York Times bestseller list. His second book, Stand for Something: The Battle for America's Soul was published in 2006. Kasich's most recent book, Every Other Monday, was also a New York Times bestseller.
U.S. Representative (1983–2001)
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Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, he previously served as a member of the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, representing from 1983 to 2001. He was a commentator on Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel , often called Fox News, is a cable and satellite television news channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
, hosting Heartland with John Kasich
Heartland with John Kasich
From the Heartland with John Kasich was an American news/talk television program appearing on Fox News Channel hosted by now Ohio governor John Kasich. The show was broadcast live every Saturday at 8:00 p.m. ET...
, from 2001 to 2007.
In the 2010 Ohio gubernatorial election
Ohio gubernatorial election, 2010
The 2010 Ohio gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 2010. Incumbent Governor Ted Strickland, a Democrat, was defeated by former Republican House Budget Chairman John Kasich.-Background:...
, Kasich narrowly defeated Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
incumbent Ted Strickland
Ted Strickland
Theodore "Ted" Strickland was the 68th Governor of Ohio, serving from 2007 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served in the United States House of Representatives, representing ....
, receiving 49% of the vote.
Early life, education, and early career
Kasich was born in Pittsburgh area industrial town of McKees Rocks, PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, the son of Anne and John Kasich, who worked as a mail carrier. His father was of Czechoslovakian descent and his mother was of Croatian ancestry. After attending public schools in McKees Rocks, he enrolled at Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
, where he joined the Alpha Sigma Phi
Alpha Sigma Phi
Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity is a social fraternity with 71 active chapters and 9 colonies. Founded at Yale in 1845, it is the 10th oldest fraternity in the United States....
fraternity. He earned a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in political science from Ohio State in 1974.
He originally worked as a researcher for the Ohio Legislative Service Commission. From 1975 to 1978, he served as an administrative assistant to then-state Senator
Ohio Senate
The Ohio State Senate is the upper house of the Ohio General Assembly, the legislative body for the U.S. state of Ohio. There are 33 State Senators. The state legislature meets in the state capital, Columbus. The President of the Senate presides over the body when in session, and is currently Tom...
Buz Lukens
Buz Lukens
Donald Edgar "Buz" Lukens was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio. His political career ended in scandal.-Early years:...
.
Ohio Senate
In 1978, Kasich was elected to the Ohio SenateOhio Senate
The Ohio State Senate is the upper house of the Ohio General Assembly, the legislative body for the U.S. state of Ohio. There are 33 State Senators. The state legislature meets in the state capital, Columbus. The President of the Senate presides over the body when in session, and is currently Tom...
, representing the 15th district, after defeating Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
incumbent Robert O'Shaughnessy
Robert O'Shaughnessy
Robert O'Shaughnessy was a Democratic politician and a member of the Ohio Senate. A member of a political family, O'Shaughnessy was initially appointed to the Senate to succeed his brother, Jerry O'Shaughnessy, who had died. In 1974, O'Shaughnessy overcame a divisive primary and a challenge by...
with 56% of the vote. At age 26, he was the youngest person ever elected to the Ohio Senate. One of his first acts as a state senator was to refuse a pay raise.
Election
He was elected to the United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
in 1982, defeating incumbent Bob Shamansky
Bob Shamansky
Robert Norton Shamansky was an American Democratic politician and attorney from the state of Ohio. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives for a single term from 1981 until 1983.-Early Life:...
. Kasich was reelected eight times, serving from 1983 to 2001.
Tenure
Kasich voted in favor of the North American Free Trade AgreementNorth American Free Trade Agreement
The North American Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA is an agreement signed by the governments of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, creating a trilateral trade bloc in North America. The agreement came into force on January 1, 1994. It superseded the Canada – United States Free Trade Agreement...
(NAFTA).
In 1994, Kasich was one of the Republican leaders to support a last-minute deal with President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
to pass the Federal Assault Weapons Ban
Federal assault weapons ban
The Federal Assault Weapons Ban was a subtitle of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, a federal law in the United States that included a prohibition on the manufacture for civilian use of certain semi-automatic firearms, so called "assault weapons"...
. After a series of meetings with Clinton's Chief of Staff, Leon Panetta
Leon Panetta
Leon Edward Panetta is the 23rd and current United States Secretary of Defense, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama since 2011. Prior to taking office, he served as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency...
, who was also a long-time friend of Kasich, the assault weapons ban was passed when 42 Republicans crossed party lines and voted with the Democrats to ban assault weapons.
Kasich is considered a fiscal conservative, taking aim at programs supported by Republicans and Democrats, teaming up with Rep. Ron Dellums
Ron Dellums
Ronald Vernie "Ron" Dellums served as Oakland's forty-fifth mayor. From 1971 to 1998, he was elected to thirteen terms as a Member of the U.S...
to cut spending on the B-2 Bomber and Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader is an American political activist, as well as an author, lecturer, and attorney. Areas of particular concern to Nader include consumer protection, humanitarianism, environmentalism, and democratic government....
in seeking to reduce corporate tax loopholes.
During the 1996 presidential campaign, Republican nominee Bob Dole
Bob Dole
Robert Joseph "Bob" Dole is an American attorney and politician. Dole represented Kansas in the United States Senate from 1969 to 1996, was Gerald Ford's Vice Presidential running mate in the 1976 presidential election, and was Senate Majority Leader from 1985 to 1987 and in 1995 and 1996...
was reported to have considered Kasich as a vice presidential running mate but instead selected Jack Kemp
Jack Kemp
Jack French Kemp was an American politician and a collegiate and professional football player. A Republican, he served as Housing Secretary in the administration of President George H. W. Bush from 1989 to 1993, having previously served nine terms as a congressman for Western New York's 31st...
, a former congressman and HUD Secretary
United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
The United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development is the head of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, a member of the President's Cabinet, and thirteenth in the Presidential line of succession. The post was created with the formation of the Department of Housing...
. During his 1996 re-election campaign Kasich's Democratic opponent in his House race, Cynthia Ruccia, made comments apparently questioning Kasich's sexuality in an attempt to damage him with conservative voters. Ruccia raised the question of the propriety of bachelor Kasich sharing a Washington townhouse with his male chief-of-staff for several years while the staffer drew a large government salary. He won the 1996 election anyway.
In 1993, he became the Ranking Republican on the House Budget Committee where he authored an alternative to Clinton's deficit reduction plan that he presented as relying on spending reductions rather than tax increases. Later that year, the Penny
Tim Penny
Timothy Joe "Tim" Penny , is an American politician from Minnesota. Penny was a Democratic-Farmer-Labor member of the United States House of Representatives, 1983–1995, representing Minnesota's 1st congressional district in the 98th, 99th, 100th, 101st, 102nd and 103rd congresses.-Early life:Penny...
-Kasich Plan, which proposed $103 billion in cuts to federal spending over 5 years, including a politically risky reduction of Medicare payments for recipients who earn $75,000 or more in adjusted gross income, failed by only six votes.
Kasich also served as chair of the congressional committee on welfare reform
Welfare reform
Welfare reform refers to the process of reforming the framework of social security and welfare provisions, but what is considered reform is a matter of opinion. The term was used in the United States to support the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act...
. In 1994, Kasich was called in by Republicans who supported Clinton's Omnibus Crime Bill of 1994 to assist in helping to reduce the overall cost. His support of the bill helped it pass the House, but provisions that outlawed some firearms did not win him fans among gun rights supporters. Many of his constituents were upset that he promised to oppose gun control during his previous election, then voted in favor of it.
In 1999 Kasich voted for the Barr Amendment, which prohibited medical cannabis
Medical cannabis
Medical cannabis refers to the use of parts of the herb cannabis as a physician-recommended form of medicine or herbal therapy, or to synthetic forms of specific cannabinoids such as THC as a physician-recommended form of medicine...
in the District of Columbia.
Budget chairman
In 1995, when Republicans gained the majority in the United States CongressUnited States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, Kasich was selected to become Chairman of the House Budget Committee. As Chairman, Kasich worked towards balancing the Federal Budget, and was the chief architect of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997
Balanced Budget Act of 1997
The Balanced Budget Act of 1997, , was signed into law on August 5, 1997. It was an omnibus legislative package enacted using the budget reconciliation process and designed to balance the federal budget by 2002....
. As Chairman of the Budget Committee, Kasich claimed credit for the only U.S. Budget Surplus since 1969.
In 1995, when Kasich assumed the position of Budget Chairman, the U.S. Federal Budget had a deficit of roughly -$163 billion, and upon the conclusion of his tenure as Budget Chairman, the U.S. Federal Budget had a surplus of over $236 billion. Kasich claimed credit for the surplus in a budget that the GOP-controlled Congress passed into law.
Post-Congress activities (2001-2008)
Kasich did not seek reelection for the House for the 2000 election, but instead formed an exploratory committeeExploratory Committee
In the election politics of the United States, an exploratory committee is an organization established to help determine whether a potential candidate should run for an elected office. They are most often cited in reference to United States Presidential hopefuls, prior to the primaries.Exploratory...
to run for President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
.
He formerly hosted Heartland with John Kasich
Heartland with John Kasich
From the Heartland with John Kasich was an American news/talk television program appearing on Fox News Channel hosted by now Ohio governor John Kasich. The show was broadcast live every Saturday at 8:00 p.m. ET...
on the Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel , often called Fox News, is a cable and satellite television news channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
and also guest hosted The O'Reilly Factor
The O'Reilly Factor
The O'Reilly Factor, originally titled The O'Reilly Report from 1996 to 1998 and often called The Factor, is an American talk show on the Fox News Channel hosted by commentator Bill O'Reilly, who often discusses current controversial political issues with guests.The program was the most watched...
, filling in for Bill O'Reilly
Bill O'Reilly (commentator)
William James "Bill" O'Reilly, Jr. is an American television host, author, syndicated columnist and political commentator. He is the host of the political commentary program The O'Reilly Factor on the Fox News Channel, which is the most watched cable news television program on American television...
as needed. Kasich frequently appeared as a guest host and analyst on Hannity & Colmes
Hannity & Colmes
Hannity & Colmes was a live television show on Fox News Channel in the United States, hosted by Sean Hannity and Alan Colmes, who respectively presented a conservative and liberal perspective. The series premiered on October 6, 1996, and the final episode aired on January 9, 2009. It was the...
and now Hannity
Hannity
Hannity is a television show on the Fox News network, a replacement to the long-running show Hannity & Colmes. It is hosted by conservative political pundit Sean Hannity....
.
Kasich served on the board of directors for several corporations, including Invacare Corporation and Chicago-based Norvax Inc. In 2001, Kasich joined Lehman Brothers
Lehman Brothers
Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. was a global financial services firm. Before declaring bankruptcy in 2008, Lehman was the fourth largest investment bank in the USA , doing business in investment banking, equity and fixed-income sales and trading Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. (former NYSE ticker...
' investment banking
Investment banking
An investment bank is a financial institution that assists individuals, corporations and governments in raising capital by underwriting and/or acting as the client's agent in the issuance of securities...
division in Columbus as a managing director. He remained at the company until its bankruptcy filing and subsequent breakup in September 2008. For his work in 2007-2008, Lehman Brothers paid Kasich $182,692 for his 2008 salary, a $432,000 performance bonus for 2007, and $2,250 in other benefits.
Republicans tried to recruit Kasich for Governor of Ohio in 2006; however Kasich declined to enter the race.
Kasich "always had an independent streak", said his friend, Curt Steiner, former chief of staff to former Ohio Governor and U.S. Senator George Voinovich
George Voinovich
George Victor Voinovich is a former United States Senator from the state of Ohio, and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, he served as the 65th Governor of Ohio from 1991 to 1998, and as the 54th mayor of Cleveland from 1980 to 1989.-Personal life:Born in Cleveland, Ohio, his father was...
. "He's a solid Republican, but he's always had his own views. [He's] a biological Democrat" [... his parents were Democrats]. "He came from an average background. He's in touch with people. He's not a Beltway thinker."
In early 2007, Kasich was reportedly considering making a serious run for Governor of Ohio in 2010, seeking the Republican nomination to unseat incumbent Ted Strickland
Ted Strickland
Theodore "Ted" Strickland was the 68th Governor of Ohio, serving from 2007 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served in the United States House of Representatives, representing ....
. In March 2008, Kasich said that Ohio's state income tax should be "phased out."
In 2008, Kasich was named the Honorary Chairman of Recharge Ohio; an organization with the stated purpose of electing leaders who would "get our state back on track." Kasich said that he hoped that through Recharge Ohio, he could "provide the framework necessary to allow Ohio to become a leader in economic and educational success."
2010 gubernatorial campaign
On May 1, 2009, Kasich filed papers to run for Governor of Ohio against incumbent Democratic Governor Ted StricklandTed Strickland
Theodore "Ted" Strickland was the 68th Governor of Ohio, serving from 2007 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served in the United States House of Representatives, representing ....
. He formally announced his candidacy on June 1, 2009. On January 15, 2010 Kasich announced current Ohio State Auditor
Ohio State Auditor
The Ohio State Auditor is responsible for auditing all the public offices of the state of Ohio. The auditor is elected to a four-year term. The current Auditor is Dave Yost....
Mary Taylor
Mary Taylor (Ohio politician)
Mary Taylor is the 65th and current Lieutenant Governor of Ohio.-Early life and business career:Taylor was born in 1961. She attended the Springfield Township school system. She attended the University of Akron, obtaining a Bachelor degree in Accounting and Master's degree in Taxation...
as his running mate.
On May 4, 2010, he won the Republican nomination for governor, having run unopposed. On November 2, 2010 he defeated incumbent Democrat Ted Strickland to win the governorship. He was sworn in at midnight on January 10, 2011 in a private ceremony at the Ohio Statehouse
Ohio Statehouse
The Ohio Statehouse, located in Columbus, Ohio, is the house of government for the state of Ohio. The Greek Revival building houses the Ohio General Assembly and the ceremonial offices of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Treasurer, and Auditor....
in Columbus. It was then followed by a ceremonial inauguration at the Ohio Theatre at noon on the same day.http://www.10tv.com/live/content/local/stories/2011/01/09/story-columbus-kasich-inauguration-preview.html?sid=102
Violation of campaign finance allegations
John Kasich's former employer, News Corp., was accused in 2010 of making improper campaign solicitations for Kasich's campaign. The company hired attorneys to defend themself in an Ohio Elections Commission investigation, who argued that the allegations were not only baseless but also designed to have a "chilling effect" on future press coverage. The Ohio Elections Commission voted 5-0 against finding any violation by FoxNews.
Cabinet
Despite offering two cabinet positions to black candidates, including one position to Franklin County Auditor, Clarence E. Mingo, II, Kasich has received criticism with the appointment of his all white cabinet, the first Ohio Governor to not appoint at least one minority since 1962. Also of note, of the 22 only five are women. Kasich's defiant response to the lack of diversity in his cabinet, "I don't look at things from the standpoint of any of these sort of metrics that people tend to focus on, race or age, or any of those things. It's not the way I look at things... I want the best possible team I can get."Gov. Kasich made a comment in front of the Environmental Protection Agency on January 21, 2011 where he called a Columbus Police Officer an idiot for giving him a traffic violation in 2008 that he later pled guilty in court for.
Casinos
Kasich has been undecided on the potential placement of slot machines at racetracks, although he claims to be considering the revenue option. He will be the first Governor to actually oversee operating casinos in Ohio. Kasich has in the past taken a historically Republican approach to gambling, that is cautious about social impacts. Some have stated that one of Kasich's earliest Executive Orders may allow video lottery terminals at racetracks.Education
Kasich is an opponent of the Evidence Based Model Program of his predecessor, Governor Strickland, and has stated that he plans to end it under his tenure. However, he has not been specific on what his plans are in how to replace the current educational system.High speed rail funding
Throughout his gubernatorial campaign, Kasich opposed the Ohio high-speed rail project, and stated that if elected, the program would be disbanded. Upon winning election, Kasich has fought to keep the $400 million federal grant that was to be used for the project to use for other infrastructure projects. However, in a letter from Secretary of Transportation Ray LahoodRay LaHood
Raymond H. "Ray" LaHood is a Republican politician from Illinois who is currently the United States Secretary of Transportation, having served since 2009. Previously, he represented the Illinois's 18th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives for seven terms .-Early life and...
, who served with Kasich in Congress, it was stated that the money was specifically allocated only for a high speed rail system, and could not be used for anything else. On December 3, 2010, in a meeting with President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
, Kasich once again lobbied for the ability to use the money for another project. With the federal grant to be used specifically for high speed rail, this resulted in $400 million being redirected from Ohio towards high speed rail projects in other states such as California and Florida.
Collective bargaining rights
While Kasich's predecessor Ted StricklandTed Strickland
Theodore "Ted" Strickland was the 68th Governor of Ohio, serving from 2007 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served in the United States House of Representatives, representing ....
signed an executive order allowing for collective bargaining opportunities for in-house child care workers, Kasich stated he would not continue the subsidies.
During a speech before Ashtabula County Republicans in March 2009, Kasich talked about the need to "break the back of organized labor in the schools," according to the Ashtabula Star Beacon. Ohio's teachers' unions supported Democrat Ted Strickland, and after Kasich's gubernatorial victory, he said, “I am waiting for the teachers’ unions to take out full-page ads in all the major newspapers, apologizing for what they had to say about me during this campaign."
Elsewhere, he said he was willing to work with "unions that make things."
Police officer controversy
Kasich was pulled over for a traffic violation on January 11, 2008 for violating public safety, repeatedly calling the police officer who ticketed him "an idiot" even after Kasich pleaded guilty to the violation. Upon discovery of the comments, police unions and other public worker unions were infuriated."Police officers in Ohio already do difficult and dangerous work, so it doesn't help when the governor calls an officer doing his job and protecting the public an 'idiot,'" said Ohio Fraternal Order of Police president Jay McDonald.
The Ohio Democratic Party unearthed video of Kasich's comments and put it on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
. Democrats and the Fraternal Order of Police have noted that Kasich is backing Senate Bill 5, a proposal that would end collective bargaining in Ohio, which would directly impact police officers and other government organized labor workers.
Personal life
Kasich was raised as a Roman Catholic, but converted to a more evangelicalEvangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
form of Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
after his parents were both killed in an automobile crash in 1987. However, he does not identify himself with the Christian right
Christian right
Christian right is a term used predominantly in the United States to describe "right-wing" Christian political groups that are characterized by their strong support of socially conservative policies...
.
Kasich amicably divorced his first wife, Mary Lee Griffith, who helped campaign for him after the divorce during the 1990s. He is currently married to his second wife, Karen. Their twin daughters, Emma and Reese, attend Worthington
Worthington, Ohio
-Dissolution of the Company:By August 11, 1804 the plat maps were completed, payments or notes promising payments collected and deeds prepared for all sixteen thousand acres of the Scioto Company's purchase...
Christian schools.
Kasich has authored three books. Courage is Contagious was published in 1998 and made the New York Times bestseller list. His second book, Stand for Something: The Battle for America's Soul was published in 2006. Kasich's most recent book, Every Other Monday, was also a New York Times bestseller.
See also
- Election Results, U.S. Representative from Ohio, 12th District
- List of United States Representatives from Ohio
- Ohio gubernatorial election, 2010Ohio gubernatorial election, 2010The 2010 Ohio gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 2010. Incumbent Governor Ted Strickland, a Democrat, was defeated by former Republican House Budget Chairman John Kasich.-Background:...
External links
- Governor of Ohio, John Kasich Official site of the Governor of Ohio
U.S. Representative (1983–2001)
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