Ohio Gov. John Kasich said the “options are still on the table” for a presidential bid while suggesting his accomplishments in the state office could translate to success for the rest of the country.
“Ohio is a microcosm of America,” the Republican governor told host Chris Wallace on “Fox News Sunday,” later adding that he still has “plenty of time” to decide whether he will run.
Kasich touted the fact that his state has added nearly 300,000 jobs under his leadership and has adopted a “structurally balanced” budget system.
He also highlighted his effort to expand government services to “those who live in the shadows,” such as the “drug-addicted” or homeless, in a move that could put him at odds with members of his own party who want to roll back such assistance across the board.
“I will not turn my back on the mentally ill who live under bridges,” Kasich said.
Still, he said the programs “can only be a situation where we help them for a short period of time,” emphasizing that “personal responsibility” would be written into any such legislation.
Wallace pressed Kasich on the wisdom of his national effort to convene a constitutional convention to add a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
“Chris, we’re $18 trillion in the hole,” the governor said.
Kasich said he hoped a constitutional convention would help kids focus less on “Justin Bieber and deflated footballs” and more on “Ben Franklin.”
