Kasich stays away

Kasich stays away

Gov. John Kasich has gone out of his way to avoid entering Quicken Loans Arena, the official home of the Republican National Convention. That’s because of his refusal to endorse Donald Trump.

Kasich, however, made a surprise appearance Monday at the Q – as part of a lengthy video of numerous Republican governors criticizing the federal government.

The video was nearing the end, and it appeared Kasich wouldn’t be part of it. Then, he showed up at the Q, filled only partly with delegates at the time, and he received the loudest cheer.

But that loudest cheer was short-lived. The next – and last – person shown was Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, Trump’s vice- presidential pick, and the arena exploded with loud and lengthy cheers.

Munroe pleased with VP candidate Pence

Mark Munroe, Mahoning County GOP chairman, was very pleased with Trump’s decision to select Pence as his vice- presidential running mate.

“I think it’s a home run – no, I think it’s a grand slam,” he said.

“Pence in many ways reminds me of Newt Gingrich, but maybe without some of the controversies,” said Munroe, an alternate delegate. He added that conservatives “really appreciate” Pence.

Mandel for Senate?

Though Josh Mandel is serving his second term as Ohio treasurer, it’s obvious he and others are looking to 2018.

That’s when Mandel, a Republican, again can challenge U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat. In 2012, Brown beat Mandel by 6 percentage points in one of the highest-profile, most-expensive Senate races in the country.

Mandel, who already has made moves to run again in two years, was the host for the Ohio delegation’s first breakfast Monday at the convention. But U.S. Rep. Pat Tiberi of Genoa Township also is considering a run for the Republican nomination for Senate in 2018.

U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, the main speaker, said Ohio made a mistake in 2012 not electing Mandel and that the state’s voters would have a chance to correct that wrong in two years.

Winbush on Trump

Tracey Winbush of Youngstown, a Mahoning County delegate, said Trump didn’t make a mistake by not attending the NAACP convention in Cincinnati.

“They’re not going to support him anyway,” said Winbush, who is black. She conceded Trump had said some “crass” things and is an unorthodox politician, but she intends to support him because “he’s better than her.”

The “her” refers to Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.

All 66 delegates from Ohio are pledged to Kasich, who won the state in his failed bid for the GOP presidential nomination.

Chachi loves Trump?

Trump had promised star power at the convention and he delivered kind of with Scott Baio. He’s best known for his roles on TV as Chachi on “Happy Days” and “Joanie Loves Chachi,” and in the title role of “Charles in Charge.”

Chachi/Charles is definitely pro-Trump.

Here’s an excerpt: “We have a choice in November. We can go for Hillary Clinton: who wants to continue the same policies that are wrecking this country, policies that make us unsafe; a woman who somehow feels entitled to the presidency, that she is somehow owed it.”

“Or we can go for Donald Trump: a man doing this from the goodness of his heart and genuinely wants to help; a man who knows how to get things done, and a man who says what he means and means what he says.”

Memorial to Voinovich

There was one notable Ohioan on the stage early in Monday’s first-day session: former House Speaker Larry Householder, who offered a memorial to former Gov. and Sen. George Voinovich and Republican Party Chairman Bob Bennett.

Contributors: David Skolnick and Marc Kovac