COLUMBUS – Governor John Kasich suspended his campaign for President after his third place finish in the Indiana Republican primary, clearing the path toward the nomination for New York businessman Donald Trump.
Kasich’s positive message and refusal to trade insults with Trump earned him respect but his campaign never gained traction with voters, winning a primary only in his home state. He trailed Trump badly in the GOP convention delegate count and the polls.
“I have always said the Lord has purpose for me as he does for everyone,” Kasich said before leaving the podium.
As late as Wednesday morning, Kasich appeared to be continuing he campaign, pinning his hopes on a contested convention in Cleveland but appears to have suddenly changed his mind, canceling an appearance in Washington, D.C..
This move, combined with Texas Sen. Cruz’s decision to drop out of the race after losing to Trump in Indiana, clears the way for Trump to claim the GOP nomination.
“We were proud to support Governor Kasich’s positive campaign that offered real solutions for America. Governor Kasich never wavered from taking the high road as he sought the highest office in the land. Many people here in the Buckeye State are proud of the way he represented Ohio and conducted his campaign.” Ohio Republican Party Chairman Matt Borges.
“With Governor Kasich out of the race, any remaining hope the GOP had of concealing its true colors behind his comparatively friendly-faced candidacy has evaporated. Today, the only energy left in the Republican primary isn’t for anything, it’s against everything that doesn’t line up with their extreme views. The obstruction and broken government we’re seeing in Washington is the result.” –Democratic National Committee