Is Kasich Just a Beltway Candidate?

[Mister Mets]

I think he has tremendous growth potential.

He's arguably the most experienced 2016 candidate as a big-state Governor who served in the congressional leadership (six years as House Budget committee chairman.) And by 2016 candidates, I'm including Hillary.

He's been a cable TV host, so I'm guessing he can do pretty well on the stump, and handle himself well on the media.

He just won reelection in a landslide in a state Republicans need to flip.

There isn't significant opposition to him, in the sense that there aren't that many in the party who would be outraged if he got the nomination. He's got more gravitas than Walker, and less baggage than Jeb.

It's possible there won't be an opening for Kasich if Jeb rebounds, Walker handles himself well, or Romney decides to run. But he definitely has a shot.

[Mister Mets]

He beat Strickland in a recession year.  Last year, he was uncontested in a governor contest. And he made remarks that stated he clearly is against health care for the poor, a natl health care, but clearly is looking to expand medicaid, a state law.

While he by far outclasses Jeb, Hilary is still strong against GOP.

Strickland's competitive in polls against Portman, so it was pretty impressive that Kasich beat him when he was an incumbent.

Incumbent Governors also tend not to suffer in wave years the way Senators do. 2010 saw Beebe reelected in Arkansas, and John Lynch reelected in New Hampshire. 2006 saw Republicans reelected in California, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Hawaii, Minnesota and Vermont.