Ohio gov: ‘Extreme’ candidates can’t win

Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R), a possible 2016 presidential contender, on Sunday made what could become a case for his candidacy, saying the “extremism” of other candidates will not work in Ohio. 

{mosads}”If somebody comes into Ohio and they’re extreme, they’re not going to win,” Kasich said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

Kasich remains cagey on whether he will run, saying “I don’t know.” But he also made a case for himself, pointing to his commanding reelection win last year in the crucial swing state of Ohio. 

“I won 86 out of 88 counties and it’s a big state and it matters,” he said. 

Kasich has carved out something of a “compassionate conservative,” through steps like accepting ObamaCare’s Medicaid expansion and putting a focus on the poor. 

“We’re balancing budgets, we’re cutting taxes, and guess what? We’re helping the poor get on their feet,” Kasich said. 

When asked if that would repel some Republican primary voters, Kasich brought out the line about extremism not working. 

Kasich said he is not hurried by the accelerating moves of rivals to line up donors and consultants. “I will do it when I’m ready,” he said of his decision. 

He threw some cold water on the idea of being a vice presidential pick, despite coming from a key swing state. 

“What do vice presidents do by the way?” he said. “I think they stop traffic on roads when they move from point x to point y.”

Kasich reiterated his call for some boots on the ground to fight Islamic State in Iraq and Syria militants in the Middle East, but said he wanted to avoid “nation-building.”

He declined, though, to take a shot at likely Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton’s foreign policy. 

“I like Hillary, but I’m not ever going to be for her for president,” he said.