Gov. John Kasich announces the kickoff of his presidential campaign to a packed crowd of supporters at the Ohio Union at Ohio State. Photo by Robert Scarpinito | Copy Chief
Some Ohio State students are showing support for fellow Buckeye, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, by signing on to call registered Republicans in New Hampshire on behalf of the OSU alumnus.
Kasich graduated from OSU in 1974 with a degree in political science, before becoming the youngest person ever elected to the Ohio Senate at age 26. He then went on to become the governor of Ohio in 2010.
The students volunteering Wednesday night asked those they talked to on the phone what issues were most important to them in the upcoming presidential election and if they were considering voting for Kasich.
New Day for America, a super PAC supporting Kasich, provided the students with the phone numbers of Republicans in New Hampshire, which is home to the nation’s first primary, following the Iowa Caucuses.
Nationally, the GOP field is led by Ben Carson, who holds 26 percent of Republican Primary voters, according to a CBS and New York Times poll published Tuesday. Kasich, who is polling at 4 percent, trails Carson as well as six other candidates. In a poll of New Hampshire Republicans, Kasich fared better, polling in fourth place with 11 percent, according to a Monmouth University poll, published Monday.
Morgan Shafley, a tribune for OSU College Republicans and a third-year in animal sciences, said she is a proud supporter of Kasich and would love to see him become the next U.S. president. She said she supports him because of what he stands for, and she would support him all the same if he was from any other state. Although, Shalfey said she does like the association of Kasich with OSU.
“Every time I hear (Kasich) talk, he has talked about how he used to live in Morrill Tower,” Shafley said between her phone calls to New Hampshire. “It just makes that connection to him more real.”
OSU Students call New Hampshire republicans to ask what issues matter most to them at the Student Union on Oct. 28. Credit: Joely Friedman | Lantern Reporter
Sam Riddell, executive director of OSU College Republicans and a third-year in political science, also helped to make calls Wednesday night and said he is more than happy to be doing what he can to get Kasich elected.
“It’s an honor as an OSU student to campaign for a fellow Buckeye,” Riddell said. “Kasich has been where we are. He understands the concerns of students and of all Ohioans.”
Mircea Lazar, the communications director for the OSU College Democrats and a third-year in international relations and economics, said he does not think that any amount of phone banking will be able to help the governor.
“Many Ohio families are still struggling to put food on the table … This is the simple reality, and his poll numbers reflect this situation,” Lazar said in an email.
Riddell acknowledged that no Republican candidate has ever been able to win the presidency without winning Ohio first.
“Ohio as a state is representative of the country as a whole,” Riddell said. “As Ohio goes, so goes the nation.”
