Kasich not interested in talking Trump on the trail

Donald Trump may be dominating the GOP primary spotlight, but Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) is showing no interest in taking him on.

The presidential candidate said Sunday that he is steering clear of Trump, and other candidates taking shots at the bombastic businessman. Instead, his focus is on informing the voters about his own personality and platform.

{mosads}“I am unknown largely nationally,” he said on Fox News Sunday. “If I’m talking about Donald Trump or somebody else, or their strategy, then I’m not talking about myself.”

Several Republican challengers who largely ignored Trump at the outset of his campaign have begun targeting him directly as he surges in the polls. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal have both directly criticized Trump’s prior statements and policy stances in recent days.

But Kasich, who has seen a boost in the polls following a strong performance at the first GOP debate, said he was focusing all of his attention on gaining ground in the early states.

While outsiders like Trump and neurosurgeon Ben Carson have been able to ride broad voter discontent with Washington to the top of the polls, Kasich, who has a long political career including a stint in Congress, said he has critical experience required for the job.

“We acknowledge the anxiety Americans have…at the end of the day we need to have somebody who knows how to land the plane,” he said. “I’ve landed quite a few planes.”