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A Republican National Committee member touts Gov. John Kasich for president
BOARDMAN
Jo Ann Davidson, who represents Ohio on the Republican National Committee, said Gov. John Kasich has the experience and credentials to be the party’s presidential nominee.
And though Kasich just recently started putting together a team — which includes her — while other Republican presidential candidates have been organized for much longer, Davidson said Wednesday that the Ohio governor wouldn’t be getting into the race too late if he chooses to run.
Davidson was the guest speaker at the Mahoning County Republican Party’s annual Lincoln Day dinner at the Georgetown Banquet Center in Boardman. About 130 people were at the event.
Speaking to The Vindicator, Davidson said of Kasich, “If he runs, certainly I’m supporting him. He’s said he’s seriously thinking about it. I think he’s got a great story to tell about Ohio.”
A longtime political ally of Kasich’s and former speaker of the Ohio House, Davidson is an adviser to the governor’s New Day for America political committee that allows him to raise an unlimited amount of money for a possible presidential run.
Kasich’s “years in Congress, his years in state government, his years in the private sector — he’s got experience in all three sectors, I think, that are useful to a person who wants to lead the country,” Davidson said.
Davidson said the party has “some well-qualified candidates,” specifically mentioning Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida.
“It’s a pretty divided situation out there,” she said. “There will probably be more money than we’ve ever seen in a presidential [race]. I think it’s a very good group of candidates. It will whittle itself down naturally.”
Davidson serves as co-chairwoman of the 2016 Republican National Convention’s Committee on Arrangements, which is responsible for planning and managing next year’s event in Cleveland.
The convention will showcase Cleveland, she said.
“Our site-selection committee was extremely surprised when they arrived in Cleveland,” she said. “Many of them had never been in Cleveland. They heard a number of negative stories, not many positive ones, but they came away really, really impressed.”
Cleveland has everything the committee wants from a city hosting the Republican convention, she said, including good transportation to and from the convention site, sufficient hotel rooms, and a “really good arena” — Quicken Loans Arena.