How similar are Kasich and Huntsman, and why would Kasich be better than Bush?

[Simfan34]

People keep on making this comparison. Why? Just because Kasich is not running from the right, or something deeper?

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

They're both quite right-wing. The idea that Kasich is somehow moderate is ridiculous. Moderates don't ban rape counselors from mentioning that abortion is an option.

[Pyro]

The comparison is because both are ultra dark-horse candidates who would do well in the general.
Politically, they are quite different (other than on climate change).

[SteveRogers]

Rachel Maddow is saying nice things about Kasich right this second. He's doomed.

[Free Bird]

I don't know, and frankly it is annoying me. Kasich isn't running an I Hate You campaign, and is from a much more relevant state.

[senyor_brownbear]

Style-wise, I don't think Kasich has the same "I'm too good for this sad-sack party" attitude that Huntsman seemed to have toward the 2012 GOP primary audience.  He's more like that forgettable Minnesota governor.

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Style-wise, I don't think Kasich has the same "I'm too good for this sad-sack party" attitude that Huntsman seemed to have toward the 2012 GOP primary audience.  He's more like that forgettable Minnesota governor.

Kasich /=/ Pawlenty. Kasich is very popular, Pawlenty just obtained the minimum approval ratings necessary to win reelection. Pawlenty never defeated an incumbent, Kasich did. Kasich won reelection in a humongous landslide, even winning strongly democratic counties, Pawlenty won reelection by a hair, because of a last-minute scandal:

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[tmthforu94]

Not every candidate has to have a past candidate to compare them to...

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

The comparison is because both are ultra dark-horse candidates who would do well in the general.

Oh yes, voters in the general election would love a Lehman Brothers banker who wants to prevent rape victims from being told they could have an abortion.

[Pandaguineapig]

I would actually compare his style and strategy to McCain 2000

[Rockefeller GOP]

They're both quite right-wing. The idea that Kasich is somehow moderate is ridiculous. Moderates don't ban rape counselors from mentioning that abortion is an option.

Anyone who isn't left of center isn't a moderate #Atlas

[Kingpoleon]

They're both quite right-wing. The idea that Kasich is somehow moderate is ridiculous. Moderates don't ban rape counselors from mentioning that abortion is an option.

Anyone who isn't left of center isn't a moderate #Atlas

He (basically) agrees with the left on gay marriage(personally against it but legally for it), Medicare, fracking taxes, poverty programs, streamlining military spending... Hmm... Let's look for an issue he's right-wing on.... Abortion! Ah ha! Gotcha now!

[Fuzzy Says: "Abolish NPR!"]

They're both quite right-wing. The idea that Kasich is somehow moderate is ridiculous. Moderates don't ban rape counselors from mentioning that abortion is an option.

Anyone who isn't left of center isn't a moderate #Atlas

He (basically) agrees with the left on gay marriage(personally against it but legally for it), Medicare, fracking taxes, poverty programs, streamlining military spending... Hmm... Let's look for an issue he's right-wing on.... Abortion! Ah ha! Gotcha now!

I do believe that Kasich, because of his time out of office and his role as Governor of Ohio, is more in touch with what the average Middle American is dealing with than a good many other candidates in the race who have their own (or their contributor's) agendas to advance.  This is one of a slew of positives Kasich possesses.

It does kind of shock me that Kasich can't seem to get it through the heads of the collective GOP that he's their best option in 2016.  Really, Kasich is almost a Dream Candidate; he's from Ohio, he's currently popular, he's got a lot of experience, but he doesn't have the kind of "insider" tag that can spell death to a candidate.  He's got everything Jeb Bush has going for him, while not being a Bush.  If his conservative bona fides aren't good enough for the GOP, then it's fair to ask if the GOP is defining "conservative" too narrowly, because Kasich is more of a "movement conservative" than John McCain or Lindsey Graham ever were.

[Simfan34]

Question number two: Aside from the fact his last name is not "Bush", why is Kasich a "better" potential candidate than Jeb Bush?

[Torie]

As to Huntsman and Kasich, they have quite different personalities, and Kasich has more of a common touch. And Kasich is from the part of the country that in American elections, is sort of like the West Midlands in Britain. It's where elections tend to be won and lost.

Much of the above also applies to Bush and Kasich (although Florida is a key state too of course). In addition, Kasich has a Kemp like focus on practical ways to effectively help the less fortunate life themselves up, in a way Bush has not. I think that is an advantage. What Kasich is potentially weak on as compared to Bush, is he does have a temper, and does not, or may not, project the gravitas and knowledge of Bush. If Kasich can show the discipline and smarts to mitigate these factors, he would be a very strong candidate indeed.

[Mr. Morden]

In addition, Kasich has a Kemp like focus on practical ways to effectively help the less fortunate life themselves up, in a way Bush has not.

Which still seems weird to me, as someone who remembers the budget battles of the 90s.  Kasich (as House Budget Chair) was singularly focused on squeezing the federal budget above all else back then, wasn't he?  I don't remember Kasich being sympatico with compassionate conservatism at that time.  Seems like it's something that he embraced only as governor of Ohio.  And even then, as far as I can tell, he really only started doing this "What will I say to St. Peter?" stuff in the latter half of his first term in office, when his reelection prospects were looking dicey.  (Not to be cynical about this.  )

[mencken]

Question number two: Aside from the fact his last name is not "Bush", why is Kasich a "better" potential candidate than Jeb Bush?

Kasich has 18 years of national congressional experience on Bush, for those who find such details relevant. If electability is a concern, Kasich also leads Clinton in his home state, something that cannot be said for Bush. Bush's Hispandering would only make sense if a) Hispanic-populated swing states had more electoral votes than the Midwestern states that Kasich (and possibly Walker) would put in play, and b) Bush actually demonstrated that he could win said swing states. So far, both propositions are false, which begs the question of why Bush is "better" than Kasich, other than his last name?

[Torie]

In addition, Kasich has a Kemp like focus on practical ways to effectively help the less fortunate life themselves up, in a way Bush has not.

Which still seems weird to me, as someone who remembers the budget battles of the 90s.  Kasich (as House Budget Chair) was singularly focused on squeezing the federal budget above all else back then, wasn't he?  I don't remember Kasich being sympatico with compassionate conservatism at that time.  Seems like it's something that he embraced only as governor of Ohio.  And even then, as far as I can tell, he really only started doing this "What will I say to St. Peter?" stuff in the latter half of his first term in office, when his reelection prospects were looking dicey.  (Not to be cynical about this.   )

Morden, cynical? Perish the thought. Badger, get your butt over here, and put in your two cents please.

[Torie]

People keep on making this comparison. Why? Just because Kasich is not running from the right, or something deeper?

Speaking of the Bush, Kasich and Huntsman Bermuda Triangle, ... someone else thought of all three names at once, trying to mix and match the three respective corners of light.

[dudeabides]

Ideologically, Jon Huntsman was basically the same as Mitt Romney, except he was to the left of Romney on same-sex marriage (Huntsman backs civil unions) and he took the liberal position on Afghanistan. But, his record in Utah was more conservative than Romney's, though some would argue it's because he could be.

John Kasich is a thoughtful conservative. He's not running an ideologically-driven campaign. That is why there is a comparison.

Kasich and Bush are basically the same ideologically. The main difference is their backrounds and their experiences. Bush is from a politically powerful family and was in the real estate business before becoming Governor of a key swing state. Kasich is from a working class family and was in congress and hosted a T.V. show before becoming Governor of a key swing state.

On the issues, I'm not so sure where there are differences. Many in the base will look at Kasich and be upset he expanded medicaid under Obamacare and voted for the 1994 ban on assault weapons. But, Bush is for a more centrist position on immigration, and he favors common core. However, both have impressive track records and won historic victories in their respective states.

I think the key distinction between them has to be electability. Kasich was re-elected by a larger margin than Bush by far, but Kasich is in a much less demographically diverse state. Bush was the first two term Republican Governor in Florida since reconstruction. Bush probably has the better political advisers and the money. He has appeal to hispanic voters, centrists, and catholic voters. Kasich can run a more populist campaign and has appeal to blue collar workers.

[Vega]

Both are popular Republican governors who have won re-election by huge margins, and aren't insanely right wing (but are still pretty conservative). It's a good comparison - better than some of the other ones I hear.

Though, Kasich won't truly be Huntsman 2.0 till he blows off conservative press in favor of Vanity Fair.

[Kingpoleon]

Rachel Maddow is saying nice things about Kasich right this second. He's doomed.

But Jon Stewart attacked him!

He must be evil!

[Badger]

In addition, Kasich has a Kemp like focus on practical ways to effectively help the less fortunate life themselves up, in a way Bush has not.

Which still seems weird to me, as someone who remembers the budget battles of the 90s.  Kasich (as House Budget Chair) was singularly focused on squeezing the federal budget above all else back then, wasn't he?  I don't remember Kasich being sympatico with compassionate conservatism at that time.  Seems like it's something that he embraced only as governor of Ohio.  And even then, as far as I can tell, he really only started doing this "What will I say to St. Peter?" stuff in the latter half of his first term in office, when his reelection prospects were looking dicey.  (Not to be cynical about this.   )

Morden, cynical? Perish the thought. Badger, get your butt over here, and put in your two cents please.

He spent his first term pursuing decidedly less the gala terrian measures such as seeking to replicate Scott Walker with unions including even the teachers union. He actually went to the mat, however, regarding getting Medicaid expansion. He actually fought the Republican legislature tooth and nail on this. he actually did an end run did inn in run around the legislature by using a little known government entity call the state appropriations board, by which he was able to somehow legally get Medicaid expansion without the Legislature's approval. If he really didn't care about it, he could have campaigned on trying his best and wanting to continue convincing the Republican legislature to do so in his second term, and arguing he was the better candidate to convince the legislature to go along than a Democrat in the governor's office, etcetera etcetera. Instead he engaged in some hard nosed political executive leadership and got it passed. Yes, it certainly wouldn't have hurt his reelection chances in Ohio, but I think he genuinely went above and beyond what was necessary for him to earn political points on the issue. The fact that he's pushing such a point of view in the Republican presidential primary, and at a convention of billionaire fund-raisers no less, shows it is more than just politics to him, IMHO.