JOHN KASICH'S HUGE WIN IN OHIO

by CHARLIE SPIERING 5 Nov 2014

In the aftermath of last night’s election, Republicans marveled at Governor John Kasich’s 30 point victory in Ohio, already sparking buzz for 2016.

“We’re beginning to show the rest of the country, that by reaching out, by having a good head and building a strong economy but a good heart that recognizes the struggle of those who have often times have been left behind, people now in Ohio now feel included, they feel optimistic, they feel hopeful,” Kasich said last night during his victory speech.

With 100 percent of the precincts reporting, Kasich earned 63.8 percent of the votes against his Democratic challenger Ed FitzGerald.

In an interview this morning, Republican Governors Association Chairman and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie pointed to Kasich’s “extraordinary win” when asked to choose a state as an incubator for GOP policy.

"John Kasich is a really compassionate guy who I think has put forward some very forward-thinking policies in Ohio,” Christie said. “People haven’t noticed Ohio as much last night because it was such a big win but that’s a great job by John Kasich and an affirmation of his policies.”

Kasich, like Christie, expanded Medicaid in his state, earning criticism from conservatives for caving to Obamacare.

In October, Kasich was criticized for saying that a full repeal of Obamacare was “not gonna happen.”

Later he clarified to the Associated Press that Obamacare "can and should" be repealed, but criticized opposition to the expansion of Medicaid as “either political or ideological.”