Kasich defends use of Obamacare at tonight's GOP debate

CLEVELAND

It took more than 20 minutes, but Ohio Gov. John Kasich got to speak during tonight’s Republican presidential debate at Cleveland’s Quicken Loans Arena.

Kasich was asked about accepting federal money from Obamacare to expand Medicaid.

The governor said President Ronald Reagan expanded Medicaid.

Kasich said he took the money to help the mentally ill, drug addicts – particularly those in prison – and the working poor.

He also took the opportunity to mention that he turned around the state’s finances when he took over as mayor and that the state has added 350,000 jobs in his four-plus years as governor.

Kasich just got into this first GOP debate based on polling. He is 10th in national polls that Fox News, the co-sponsor of tonight’s debate, used to decide the top 10 Republican candidates to participate.