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:
