John Kasich facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John Kasich
Official portrait, 2011
69th Governor of Ohio
In office January 10, 2011 – January 14, 2019
Lieutenant	Mary Taylor
Preceded by	Ted Strickland
Succeeded by	Mike DeWine
Chair of the House Budget Committee
In office January 3, 1995 – January 3, 2001
Preceded by	Martin Olav Sabo
Succeeded by	Jim Nussle
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio's 12th district
In office January 3, 1983 – January 3, 2001
Preceded by	Bob Shamansky
Succeeded by	Pat Tiberi
Member of the Ohio Senate from the 15th district
In office January 1, 1979 – January 1, 1983
Preceded by	Robert O'Shaughnessy
Succeeded by	Richard Pfeiffer
Personal details
Born	John Richard Kasich Jr. (1952-05-13) May 13, 1952 (age 73) McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouses	Mary Lee Griffith ​ ​ (m. 1975; div. 1980)​ Karen Waldbillig ​ (m. 1997)​
Children	2
Education	Ohio State University (BA)
Signature

John Richard Kasich Jr. (born May 13, 1952) is an American politician and author. He was the 69th governor of Ohio from 2011 to 2019. Before that, he was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1983 to 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party. Kasich also ran for president in 2000 and 2016.

Kasich was born and grew up in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania. He moved to Ohio in 1970 to go to college. After serving one term in the Ohio Senate, he spent nine terms in the United States House of Representatives. There, he worked on the House Armed Services Committee for 18 years. He also led the House Budget Committee for six years. Kasich helped pass important laws like the 1996 welfare reform and the 1997 Balanced Budget Act. He chose not to run for re-election in 2000 to run for president. However, he left the race before the main Republican elections.

After leaving Congress, Kasich hosted a TV show called Heartland with John Kasich on Fox News. He also worked as a managing director for Lehman Brothers in Columbus, Ohio. In 2010, he ran for governor of Ohio and won. He was re-elected in 2014 by a large margin. Kasich could not run for a third term as governor in 2018.

Kasich ran for president again in 2016. He finished fourth in the Republican primaries. He won the primary in his home state of Ohio. Kasich did not support Donald Trump as the Republican nominee. He also did not attend the 2016 Republican National Convention, which was held in Ohio. From 2019 to 2023, Kasich worked for CNN. Since March 2023, he has been an analyst for NBC News. He is known for being a critic of Donald Trump within the Republican Party. In 2020, he supported Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.

Early Life and Education

Kasich (right), at 18, meeting President Nixon in 1970.

John Richard Kasich Jr. was born and raised in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania. His parents were Anne and John Richard Kasich, who worked as a mail carrier. His family was Roman Catholics. His father was of Czech descent, and his mother was of Croatian descent.

After high school, Kasich moved to Columbus, Ohio, in 1970. He attended Ohio State University. As a freshman, he wrote a letter to President Richard Nixon. He shared his worries about the country and asked to meet the President. In December 1970, Kasich had a 20-minute meeting with Nixon.

He earned a degree in political science in 1974. Then, he worked as a researcher for the Ohio Legislative Service Commission. From 1975 to 1978, he worked for state Senator Buz Lukens.

Ohio State Senator

Kasich as a State Senator

In 1978, Kasich ran for the Ohio Senate. He won the election at age 26. This made him the second youngest person ever elected to the Ohio Senate. He served a four-year term.

One of his first actions was to refuse a pay raise. In 1980, Republicans gained control of the State Senate. However, Kasich often took his own path. For example, he opposed a budget plan that he thought would raise taxes. He wrote his own plan instead.

U.S. House of Representatives (1983–2001)

In 1982, Kasich ran for Congress in Ohio's 12th congressional district. He won the Republican primary easily. Then, he defeated the Democratic Congressman Bob Shamansky. He was re-elected eight more times.

Kasich as a congressman in 1985

In Congress, Kasich was known as a fiscal conservative. This means he focused on reducing government spending. He worked to cut wasteful spending. He even worked with consumer advocate Ralph Nader to close corporate tax loopholes.

Kasich served on the House Armed Services Committee for 18 years. He challenged defense spending he thought was too high. He helped pass the Goldwater–Nichols Act of 1986. This law reorganized the U.S. Department of Defense. He also pushed for a commission to close old military bases.

Kasich supported the first Persian Gulf War and the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan. However, he did not support U.S. military action in the Lebanese Civil War or in Bosnia. He also supported a law to put economic penalties on South Africa during apartheid.

Leading the House Budget Committee

Official congressional portrait of Kasich as chairman of the House Budget committee.

In 1993, Kasich became the top Republican on the House Budget Committee. He proposed his own ideas for health care reform. These ideas were different from President Bill Clinton's plan. Kasich's plan focused more on market-based solutions.

In 1993, Kasich voted to approve the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). In 1994, he helped pass the Federal Assault Weapons Ban. This law banned certain types of assault weapons. His support for this ban made the National Rifle Association (NRA) unhappy.

In 1995, Republicans gained control of Congress. Kasich then became the chairman of the House Budget Committee. In 1996, he introduced the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act. This was an important welfare reform bill. President Clinton signed it into law.

In 1997, Kasich became well-known for helping to balance the federal budget. This was the first time the budget was balanced since 1969. This was achieved with the Balanced Budget Act of 1997.

In 1998, Kasich voted to impeach President Clinton. He believed Clinton should be removed from office.

Presidential Campaigns

Kasich did not run for re-election to Congress in 2000. Instead, he decided to run for president. He started his campaign in March 1999. However, he did not raise much money. He dropped out of the race in July 1999. He then supported George W. Bush.

Life Outside Politics (2001–2009)

After leaving Congress, Kasich worked for Fox News. He hosted his own show, Heartland with John Kasich. He also filled in for other hosts.

Business Work

Kasich served on the boards of several companies. In 2001, he joined Lehman Brothers, an investment banking company. He worked there until the company went bankrupt in 2008. He said his work was not involved in the company's collapse.

Political Activities

Republicans tried to get Kasich to run for Ohio governor in 2006. But he decided not to. In 2008, Kasich started a group called Recharge Ohio. This group helped Republican candidates in Ohio.

Governor of Ohio

2010 Election

On May 1, 2009, Kasich announced he would run for governor of Ohio. He ran against the current Democratic governor, Ted Strickland. In January 2010, Kasich announced Mary Taylor as his running mate.

Kasich won the Republican nomination without any opponents. On November 2, 2010, Kasich defeated Strickland in a close election. He became governor on January 10, 2011.

2014 Re-election

In November 2014, Kasich won re-election. He defeated Democratic challenger Ed FitzGerald by a large amount. He won in 86 out of Ohio's 88 counties.

Some people from the Tea Party movement were unhappy with Kasich. This was because he accepted federal money to expand Medicaid. Medicaid is a health care program for people with low incomes.

Political Views and Actions

Some people see Kasich as a moderate Republican. This is because he has criticized very conservative views. He also supported Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. However, his past actions show he is often more conservative than many moderate politicians.

As governor, Kasich expanded Medicaid. He also tried to limit collective bargaining for public workers. This was later overturned by Ohio voters. He also cut funding for local governments and lowered taxes.

Environment and Energy

In 2012, Kasich said that climate change is real. However, he believed states and private companies should regulate pollution, not the federal government. In 2015, he said he wasn't sure about all the causes of climate change.

In 2014, Kasich signed a law that paused Ohio's renewable portfolio standard program for two years. This program required the state to get more energy from renewable sources. In 2016, Kasich vetoed a bill that would have continued this pause. This meant the clean-energy rules started again.

Kasich also proposed raising taxes on hydraulic fracturing (fracking) activities. Fracking is a way to get oil and natural gas from the ground. He also supported protecting Lake Erie's water quality.

Money and Taxes

During Kasich's time as governor, Ohio fixed a large budget problem. The state also increased its "rainy day fund" to over $2 billion. This fund is for unexpected expenses.

Kasich helped fix the budget by cutting money to local governments. This sometimes made local governments raise their own taxes or cut services. He also increased sales taxes to help lower income taxes.

In 2011, Kasich signed a budget that ended Ohio's estate tax. In 2013, he signed a budget that cut state income tax. It also increased the state sales tax. This budget also cut taxes for small business owners.

Labor Issues

In 2011, Kasich signed Senate Bill 5. This law limited the collective bargaining rights of public employees. This included police, firefighters, and teachers. The law stopped public employees from striking. It also limited their ability to negotiate health care and pension benefits.

Many people and unions opposed this law. They put a referendum on the November 2011 ballot to cancel it. Ohio voters rejected Senate Bill 5. Kasich said he respected the people's decision. After this, he stopped trying to pass wide-ranging limits on collective bargaining.

Education

Kasich proposed new laws to increase money for charter schools and poor school districts. He supported expanding charter schools. He also wanted to increase school vouchers, which use public money for private school tuition. Kasich supports the Common Core State Standards.

During his time as governor, funding for traditional public schools decreased. However, funding for charter schools increased.

In 2011, Kasich had the idea to build a Holocaust memorial in Ohio. The $2 million Ohio Holocaust and Liberators Memorial was dedicated in 2014.

Foreign Policy

Kasich consults with military leaders during the Gulf War.

In 2002, Kasich supported the invasion of Iraq. However, in 2015, he said he would not have sent troops to Iraq if he had known what we know now. He also said the U.S. should have kept a military base in Iraq.

Kasich believed airstrikes were not enough to fight the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). He said he would send U.S. ground troops to fight them.

Kasich opposed the 2015 international nuclear agreement with Iran. He also supports the U.S.'s drone program. He wants to increase military spending.

LGBT Rights

By the mid-2010s, Kasich showed more support for LGBT rights. However, when he was in Congress, he voted for the Defense of Marriage Act. This law did not recognize same-sex marriage at the federal level. He also supported a ban on same-sex marriage in Ohio.

As governor, Kasich signed an order banning discrimination based on sexual orientation for state employees. In 2015, after the Supreme Court allowed same-sex marriage, Kasich said he was disappointed. But he added that it was "the law of the land and we'll abide by it." He also said he would love and accept his daughters if they were gay. In 2018, he signed an order that included protections for gender identity for state employees.

Gun Policy

In Congress, Kasich had mixed views on gun policy. He voted for the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban. But he voted against the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, which created background checks.

As governor, Kasich became more supportive of gun rights. He signed laws allowing concealed handguns in bars. He also made it easier to get and renew concealed carry permits. In 2018, he called for limits on the sale of AR-15 style rifles.

Health Care

Kasich chose to accept federal money to expand Medicaid in Ohio. This was part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA or "Obamacare"). This decision made some Republicans in Ohio unhappy.

Kasich said that repealing the ACA was "not gonna happen." He believed the law had improved people's lives. In 2017, he criticized Republicans who wanted to completely repeal the ACA. He said it would leave millions without health insurance. He urged Republicans to work with Democrats on health care.

Immigration and Refugees

In 2010, Kasich supported changing the U.S. Constitution. He wanted to end birthright citizenship for people born in the U.S. However, by 2014, his views had changed. He said he didn't want to make things worse for people who might be hiding or afraid.

In 2015, Kasich called for a way for undocumented immigrants to get legal status. He also supported building a fence along the U.S.-Mexico border. He criticized Donald Trump's plan to remove immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally.

In September 2015, Kasich said the U.S. should accept refugees from Syria. However, in November 2015, he asked President Obama not to resettle more Syrian refugees in Ohio. He opposed Trump's travel ban in 2017.

Voting Rights

In 2014, Kasich signed a law that cut six days from Ohio's early voting period. This included the "golden week," when people could register and vote at the same time. This law led to lawsuits.

In 2015, Kasich vetoed a part of a bill. This part would have required college students to get an Ohio driver's license to vote. This would have cost out-of-state students money. His veto was praised by voting rights groups.

2016 Presidential Campaign

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger endorsing John Kasich for President.

In April 2015, Kasich started a group called "New Day For America." This group helped him prepare to run for president. On July 21, 2015, Kasich announced he was running for the Republican presidential nomination. He gave a speech at his old college, Ohio State University.

The New York Times supported Kasich for the Republican nomination. They said he was the only good choice for Republicans who were tired of extreme views.

Kasich tried to share a positive message during his campaign. He called himself "the prince of light and hope." He finished second in the New Hampshire primary. This showed he could be an alternative to other candidates.

However, Kasich's message did not gain enough support. He often stayed in fourth place. The only state he won was his home state of Ohio. He won 66 delegates there. Kasich hoped for a contested Republican National Convention. This is when no candidate has enough delegates to win on the first vote. This has not happened in a major party since 1952.

Kasich stopped his campaign on May 4, 2016. This was one day after Donald Trump won the primary in Indiana. Trump then became the likely nominee for the Republican Party.

After the Campaign

After leaving the race, Kasich did not support Trump. He said Trump was a divisive figure. He also said Trump did not represent conservative principles. Kasich said he would not vote for Hillary Clinton, but he also did not fully support Trump.

In August 2016, Kasich said that Trump's campaign offered him a powerful vice presidency. This offer would have put him in charge of all domestic and foreign policy. The Trump campaign denied this offer.

Kasich received one electoral vote for president from a faithless elector. This was from Christopher Suprun of Texas.

Opposition to Trump

In February 2017, Kasich met with Trump at the White House. Kasich said he hoped Trump would succeed. But he also said he would continue to criticize when needed. Kasich's advisors started a group called Two Paths America. This group promoted Kasich's views and contrasted them with Trump's. Kasich also released a book called Two Paths: America Divided or United.

In April 2017, Kasich said he might run for president in 2020. However, in May 2019, he said he would not seek the presidency in 2020.

In October 2019, Kasich supported the impeachment inquiry against Trump. He said the "final straw" was when Trump's chief of staff admitted that Trump had held back aid from Ukraine.

On August 10, 2020, Kasich confirmed he would speak at the 2020 Democratic National Convention. He spoke in support of Joe Biden. Kasich said his conscience made him speak out against Trump. He said he was a Republican, but the party was "never my master."

In September 2024, Kasich signed a letter with other former governors. They urged current governors to certify their states' votes after the November election. This was even if Trump asked them not to.

Personal Life

Kasich during his time in Congress.

Kasich has been married twice. His first marriage was to Mary Lee Griffith from 1975 to 1980. They did not have children. Kasich and his current wife, Karen Waldbillig, married in March 1997. They have twin daughters, Emma and Reese.

Kasich was raised Catholic. As an adult, he joined the Episcopal Church. He later stayed with the Anglican Church in North America, a conservative church that separated from the Episcopal Church.

Legacy

In 2019, Cardinal Hall at the Ohio Expo Center and State Fairgrounds was renamed Kasich Hall. This was done in his honor.

Electoral History

Published Works

Kasich has written five books:

• Courage is Contagious (1998)
• Stand for Something: The Battle for America's Soul (2006)
• Every Other Monday (2010)
• Two Paths: America Divided or United (2017)
• It's Up to Us: Ten Little Ways We Can Bring About Big Change (2019)

See also

In Spanish: John Kasich para niños

• Ohio's 12th congressional district
• List of United States representatives from Ohio
• Ohio gubernatorial election, 2010
• Ohio gubernatorial election, 2014
• Republican Party presidential candidates, 2016
• List of John Kasich presidential campaign endorsements, 2016