Trump aide: Kasich’s convention snub ‘a big mistake’

A top aide to Donald Trump says Ohio Gov. John Kasich is embarrassing the Buckeye State by skipping the Republican National Convention this week in Cleveland.

“He’s making a big mistake,” Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort said Monday on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “He’s making a big mistake.

{mosads}“He’s hurting his state,” Manafort told hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski. “He’s embarrassing his state, frankly. Most of the Republicans who aren’t coming are people who’ve been part of the past. People who are part of the future of the Republican Party are going to be here and participate in the program.”

Manafort added that Brzezinski was mistaken for suggesting “there’s not a lot of major Republicans coming to town.”

“Actually, you’re wrong, wrong, wrong,” he said. “Except for one or two … this city’s going to have most of the Republican leadership.”

Reports emerged Sunday that Kasich will be absent from the GOP convention this week.

Kasich, who ended his Oval Office bid last May, has also refrained from endorsing Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president.