John Kasich quits Republican race, leaving Trump last man standing
Thu May 05, 2016 12:14:pm World
2.4K By sosa hills
John Kasich formally suspended his presidential campaign on Wednesday, paving the way for Donald Trump to clinch the Republican nomination with a personal concession speech that barely touched on the political maelstrom his decision unleashes.
Kasich's decision came after he improbably became the last challenger to Donald Trump, who emerged as the presumptive GOP nominee Tuesday night when Ted Cruz dropped out.
"I have always said that the Lord has a purpose for me as he has for everyone, and as I suspend my campaign today I have renewed faith, deeper faith, that the Lord will show me the way forward and fulfill the purpose of my life," Kasich told supporters at a hastily arranged event in Columbus. "Thank you and God bless."
The former House budget chairman and Lehman Brothers executive hinted at his belief in a softer, gentler style of politics, but pointedly did not mention Trump, nor whether he would support him as the party nominee.
"The people of our country changed me," he said, recalling campaign highlights in New Hampshire and Ohio, and thanking his family. "We never had all the money wanted we were probably outspent by 50:1 but we did the best we could," he added, in the closest the 15-minute address got to a postmortem.
Even before winning his home state of Ohio in March, Kasich was facing pressure to get out of the race, with no clear path to victory. His campaign never became more than a spoiler run, designed to keep Trump from getting the 1,237 delegates needed to win the nomination before a contested convention.
Kasich was a somewhat offbeat Republican contender, who laughed at himself on the trail, occasionally took positions more in line with Democrats (like expanding Medicaid in Ohio) and touted his ability to work across the aisle. He sometimes even joked that he would have done better in the Democratic primaries than in the crowded Republican field.
The two term governor attempted to distinguish himself from the the raucous GOP field by avoiding direct attacks and striking a more positive tone. (His affiliated super PAC, however, was not shy about criticizing opponents for being negative.)
Kasich's decision came after he improbably became the last challenger to Donald Trump, who emerged as the presumptive GOP nominee Tuesday night when Ted Cruz dropped out.
"I have always said that the Lord has a purpose for me as he has for everyone, and as I suspend my campaign today I have renewed faith, deeper faith, that the Lord will show me the way forward and fulfill the purpose of my life," Kasich told supporters at a hastily arranged event in Columbus. "Thank you and God bless."
The former House budget chairman and Lehman Brothers executive hinted at his belief in a softer, gentler style of politics, but pointedly did not mention Trump, nor whether he would support him as the party nominee.
"The people of our country changed me," he said, recalling campaign highlights in New Hampshire and Ohio, and thanking his family. "We never had all the money wanted we were probably outspent by 50:1 but we did the best we could," he added, in the closest the 15-minute address got to a postmortem.
Even before winning his home state of Ohio in March, Kasich was facing pressure to get out of the race, with no clear path to victory. His campaign never became more than a spoiler run, designed to keep Trump from getting the 1,237 delegates needed to win the nomination before a contested convention.
Kasich was a somewhat offbeat Republican contender, who laughed at himself on the trail, occasionally took positions more in line with Democrats (like expanding Medicaid in Ohio) and touted his ability to work across the aisle. He sometimes even joked that he would have done better in the Democratic primaries than in the crowded Republican field.
The two term governor attempted to distinguish himself from the the raucous GOP field by avoiding direct attacks and striking a more positive tone. (His affiliated super PAC, however, was not shy about criticizing opponents for being negative.)
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