UPDATE: Politico is reporting Tuesday afternoon that the Kasich campaign could be in trouble in Illinois. They are under the minimum required signatures in six Congressional Districts, where Kasich could lose crucial delegates with recognizable names.
SPRINGFIELD – Ohio Governor John Kasich boasts new polling in New Hampshire that places him just behind Donald Trump, and he barely escaped being cut from Thursday night's Fox Business debate to fill the #9 out of nine candidate slots on the prime time stage.
But in Illinois, the former congressman is the favorite among a sizable number of Illinois Republican Party leaders – from senators and state representatives to campaign workers and GOP staffers.
The two most supported by IL GOP leadership are Kasich and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush.
Kasich credits himself with saving his home state from “fundamentally dying.” He says he balanced the budget, cut taxes, diversified Ohio’s economy and grew nearly 400,000 private-sector jobs. Regulatory reform would be a top priority for Kasich.
"I’d impose a one-year moratorium on all major new regulations to give businesses some breathing room after all the regulatory costs imposed by the Obama administration. That would give us time to overhaul the regulatory process," Kasich said on a recent call with business leaders and manufacturers. "Then we would ask Congress to make cost-benefits analyses mandatory for all new regulations and require congressional approval for any new regulations that would impose more than $100 million a year in costs to the U.S. economy."
Kasich's campaign is drawing in young and old. Matthew Starr, a 28-year-old delegate from the 11th CD, told Illinois Review he's on the Kasich team because the Ohio governor has proven himself a person that will get the job done.
"I am supporting Gov. Kasich because I believe he has the right balance of conservative values and pragmatic leadership that the GOP will need to win the White House in November," Starr said. "His success in Ohio is proof that he can get things done, and while I respect a lot of the candidate we have running, I think he has a record and a story that can take him through a general election."
This isn't Starr's first time to be on an election ballot. He's a trustee in Will County's Plainfield Township, where he was elected in 2013. Before that, Starr was the township's tax collector at age 21.
In the 1st CD, Worth Township GOP Committeeman Shaun Murphy and his brother Matt are on the ballot for Kasich, as is Bremen Township GOP Committeeman Kevin Suggs. In the 2nd CD, Thornton Township GOP Commiteeman Judy Diekelman is representing Kasich.
Former Cook County Commissioner and Orland Township GOP Committeeman Liz Gorman, Cook County Commissioner and Palos Township Committeeman Sean Morrison and Illinois Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno is representing Kasich in the 3rd CD.
DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin is on the Kasich list from the 5th CD.
Former IL GOP Chairman Pat Brady is representing Kasich in the 6th CD, along with Cook County GOP Committeeman Aaron Del Mar and State Representative Ron Sandack. Former State Rep. Suzanne Bassi is an alternate for the 6th, as is Comptroller Leslie Munger's Communications Director Phil Rodriguez.
The late Judy Baar Topinka's chief of staff Nancy Kimme – who is now a lobbyist and involved in the Rauner campaign – is joined by William Dean Smithburg representing the 7th CD.
State Representatives Ed Sullivan and David Harris are representing the 9th and 10 CDs.
State Rep. Tom Demmer and State Senator Dave Syverson are on the Kasich delegate ballot for the 16th CD. State Rep Randy Frese and former State Rep. Jil Tracy are on Kasich's delegate ballot for the 18th CD.
