Republican John Kasich, who served as Ohio’s governor from 2011-2019 and ran in the 2016 Republican presidential primaries, delivered a speech on the first night of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) Monday.
Kasich, who refused to support Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election, spoke to the current political division in America, saying that “America is at a crossroads.”
“The stakes in this election are greater than any in modern times,” Kasich proclaimed.
Despite being a “lifelong Republican” and stating that he was “proud of [his] Republican heritage,” Kasich called Democratic Presidential Candidate Joe Biden “a man of our times, times that call for all of us to take off our partisan hats and put our nation first for ourselves and, of course, for our children.”
Referring to Republican principles of “unity and a higher purpose,” Kasich said that “what [he has] witnessed belies those principles,” referring to Trump’s term in office.
“Many of us can’t imagine four more years going down this path,” Kasich continued, “and that’s why I’m asking you to join with me in choosing a better way forward.”
Kasich tried to assuage fears that “Joe [Biden] may turn sharp left and leave [Republicans and Independents] behind.”
“I don’t believe that because I know the measure of the man,” asserted Kasich. “It’s reasonable, faithful, respectful, and, you know, no one pushes Joe around.”
Kasich wasn’t the only Republican to speak at the DNC event, which was held online due to COVID-19. Former Representative Susan Molinari (R-NY), Meg Whitman, and former Governor of New Jersey Christine Todd Whitman also gave brief speeches.
The first night of the convention also had appearances by other politicians and celebrities, including Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Eva Longoria, and Michelle Obama.
Kasich’s speech drew mixed reactions from Democrats and Republicans alike.
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) tweeted that Kasich had “woken up and realized the importance of support a Biden-Harris ticket.” However, Ocasio-Cortez criticized Kasich in the same tweet, saying that “something tells me a Republican who fights against women’s rights doesn’t get to say who is or isn’t representative of the Dem party.”
President Trump tweeted that Kasich “did a bad job in Ohio, ran for President and was easy to beat, and now went to the other side desperate for relevance.”
Not all of the responses to Kasich’s speech were critical. NYDailyNews contributor S. E. Cupp tweeted that the “pro-Biden ‘unexpected voices’ idea was a GREAT one, and Republicans Christine Whitman, Meg Whitman, Susan Molinari, and John Kasich testifying for @JoeBiden really sung.”
Okay. The pro-Biden "unexpected voices" idea was a GREAT one, and Republicans Christine Whitman, Meg Whitman, Susan Molinari, and John Kasich testifying for @JoeBiden really sung. #DemConvention
— S.E. Cupp (@secupp) August 18, 2020
You can read John Kasich’s DNC speech here, and watch his four minute speech below.
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Sam Medley is a journalist at the Tennessee Star and Star News Network. You can follow Sam at Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
