It is the most coveted battleground state in presidential elections, and today the Republican governor of Ohio, John Kasich, said he will not vote for the nominee of his party next month.
“Donald Trump is a man I cannot and should not support,” said Kasich. “The actions of the last day are disgusting, but that’s not why I reached this decision, it has been an accumulation of his words and actions that many have been warning about. I will not vote for a nominee who has behaved in a manner that reflects so poorly on our country. Our country deserves better.”
Kasich said “nothing is surprising” about a tape of Trump making vulgar and lewd comments about women. He said, for him, it’s more than just the billionaire’s temperament that should be an issue.
“We have substantive policy differences on conservative issues like trade, our relationship with Russia, and the importance of balancing the federal budget,” said Kasich. “I’ve held out hope that he would change on those disqualifying policy positions, but he has not.”
No Republican presidential nominee in history has ever won the White House without Ohio’s electoral votes. Recent polls show Clinton with a slight edge in the state, and Kasich’s public split with Trump will no doubt hurt the nominee. Kasich’s popularity rating is the highest of any governor in the country.
Earlier today Sen. John McCain, the 2008 GOP nominee, also announced he is not voting for Trump. In the last 24 hours over a dozen sitting members of congress have withdrawn their support of the embattled former reality TV star.