Kasich may declare 2016 bid this summer

[ericpolitico]

Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who has been actively gauging reactions to a possible campaign for president in 2016, is now moving rapidly to assemble the staff and financial resources for such a bid and is looking to declare his candidacy sometime after June 30, according to knowledgeable Republicans.

The two-term governor and former House member is running through a checklist before formally entering the race, but strategists close to Kasich and other longtime friends say there is no doubt that he will soon join the crowded field of those vying for the GOP nomination.

Kasich's calling cards, these Republicans say, will be a record of fiscal conservatism, both as House Budget Committee chairman and as governor of a big and politically important state; national security credentials as a former member of the House Armed Services Committee; and a faith-based focus on programs and policies to help those most in need that advisers think could set him apart from competitors.

[Matty]

TL/DR

With the new polling/debate rules, you simply cannot wait until July/August to announce. Every single candidate will be official by june 30th.

[CountryClassSF]

Yes! Split that RINO vote!

[Suburbia]

Kasich is a conservative governor. He can win.

[NeverAgain]

A little late to the game there, Kasich...

[King]

A little late to the game there, Kasich...

He's probably hoping for some collapses where he can ride in as the late entry savior, like Rick Perry in 2011, only not an idiot.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I don't think so. Delaying means he can avoid the stuff that will provide him the opening by hurting the other candidates like Bush, Rubio, Walker and the like. Every day is another blow to one of them and thus another motivation to get in as as an opportunity to score big on it.

He would be the most fiscally conservative President since Coolidge. He has a good pitch to working class voters in spite of that record and also some familiarity with military issues though serving on the Armed Services Committee twenty years ago is of questionable relevance in terms of broader foreign policy cred.

[Mr. Morden]

Every potential candidate "may declare this summer".  Is there really anyone out there who you expect to still be undecided on a run by Sept. 1st?

[King]

Kasich does seem like a genuinely nice guy. We haven't really had that in the GOP primary field the past two cycles. Can he get noticed in this field? I'm not so certain.

[Mr. Morden]

Kasich does seem like a genuinely nice guy. We haven't really had that in the GOP primary field the past two cycles. Can he get noticed in this field? I'm not so certain.

He needs to get a critical mass of party elites who care primarily about winning to jump ship on other candidates, primarily Bush, and move over to his camp.  If enough party elites are convinced that Kasich's the only candidate with any shot at winning the general election, then there's the potential for a positive feedback loop with media coverage.