Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) thinks he made the right move by skipping out on this week’s Republican National Convention in Cleveland, particularly after Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) was booed off stage for declining to endorse Donald Trump.
“I think you can all understand why I didn’t show up to speak at a convention, by the way, after what you saw last night,” Kasich said at a breakfast hosted by Ohio Republicans, according to The Hill.
Both Kasich and Cruz have refused to back the blustery real estate mogul, citing his proclivity for insults and lack of policy experience.
The Ohio governor’s decision to not even attend the convention in his state drew criticism from some Republicans calling for party unity, but nothing close to the level of scorn heaped on Cruz for telling voters to vote their “conscience” in November from the convention stage.
Kasich reportedly acknowledged that his absence made things awkward for other state party officials, including Ohio GOP chair Matt Borges.
“I have personally made his job more difficult,” he said, according to The Hill.
Overall, Kasich appeared pleased that the scene in Cleveland has remained relatively calm despite predictions of violence amid the thousands of Trump fans and protesters that descended on the city this week.
“We think at the end of it there will be economic gain and job creation that will come from this,” he said.
