Who is the most moderate Republican candidate running (TRUMP, Kasich, or Cruz)?

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

Kasich, because Fascists like Don Trump (violence + capitalism) aren't moderate.

[Antonio the Sixth]

The victim-blaming douchebag is still the most moderate of the 3. I think that tells you all you need to know about the state of the Republican Party.

[Lincoln Republican]

To those who voted for John KKKa$ick, in what ways in Kasich to the left of Trump? He's to the right of Trump nearly every single issue.

There is nothing moderate about Donald DRUMPF, who calls women dogs and fat pigs, who advocates carpet bombing babies and toddlers, who wants to exclude an entire religion from society, who thinks  Hispanics are rapists and murderers.   

[ag]

Trump is not a moderate at all - he is simply not quite a Republican. He is very radical, just not in the dimensions American politicians tend to be radical.

[DemPGH]

Well, what's a moderate? Someone who takes the middle ground on everything, including what color the sky is? Or someone who is perhaps independent of party politics?

I'll go with something like the latter and say Trump. This is probably all terrifying for firebrands and so forth on the right who would like the conversation to be about climate change being bogus, banning abortion, creationism being a fact, bringing back feudalism, etc. Instead, Trump is talking about jobs, manufacturing, trade, immigration, and so on. He has actually made the GOP primary interesting for me as a non "social justice warrior" lefty. Kasich is no firebrand, but he's solid right. I'd say he's closer to Trump than Cruz, who's obviously a nut job righty in a very polished suit. So between Kasich and Trump, it's Trump.

[Young Conservative]

The quick off the cuff answer would be Kasich, but more for style than substance.  It really depends on how you define moderate.  

1. If it's "moderate on social issues", and looking at their overall records - not just this campaign, than it is Trump with a wide margin, followed by Kasich (Cruz is the most socially conservative there).
2. If it's "moderate on economic issues", than Trump closely followed by Cruz (Kasich is the most fiscally conservative here).
3. If it's "moderate in their outlook on life, fairness and treating others", than Kasich, by a wide margin (the other two don't even register on this scale, each for different reasons).

How is Kasich to the right of Cruz on the economy??

Because being fiscally conservative means balancing budgets, while cutting taxes, and ensuring the economy has the potential to grow and the system does not fail.  Kasich has proven he can do that and Cruz has not.  More worryingly, he has been throwing around ideas which carry a high risk for the economy. 

Introducing VAT, abolishing IRS or implementing a flat tax may all look "conservative" but in reality they could just produce unwelcome shocks to the economy (and a potential recession), more deficits and the need to cut various programs (good and bad).  And I am not even taking into account that they are supposed to be implemented by a young 45 year old lawyer, who has not run a lemonade stand, much less the world's largest economy.

All of this is your opinion and not actually defining conservative or moderate....

[PeteB]

The quick off the cuff answer would be Kasich, but more for style than substance.  It really depends on how you define moderate.  

1. If it's "moderate on social issues", and looking at their overall records - not just this campaign, than it is Trump with a wide margin, followed by Kasich (Cruz is the most socially conservative there).
2. If it's "moderate on economic issues", than Trump closely followed by Cruz (Kasich is the most fiscally conservative here).
3. If it's "moderate in their outlook on life, fairness and treating others", than Kasich, by a wide margin (the other two don't even register on this scale, each for different reasons).

How is Kasich to the right of Cruz on the economy??

Because being fiscally conservative means balancing budgets, while cutting taxes, and ensuring the economy has the potential to grow and the system does not fail.  Kasich has proven he can do that and Cruz has not.  More worryingly, he has been throwing around ideas which carry a high risk for the economy. 

Introducing VAT, abolishing IRS or implementing a flat tax may all look "conservative" but in reality they could just produce unwelcome shocks to the economy (and a potential recession), more deficits and the need to cut various programs (good and bad).  And I am not even taking into account that they are supposed to be implemented by a young 45 year old lawyer, who has not run a lemonade stand, much less the world's largest economy.

All of this is your opinion and not actually defining conservative or moderate....

It indeed is my opinion. What is your point?