Former Ohio Governor and 2016 Republican presidential candidate John Kasich will be speaking for likely nominee Joe Biden at the upcoming Democratic National Convention. Some Ohio Democrats are blasting the idea on social media. But there are reasons why Democrats could benefit from Kasich’s appearance.
Former Ohio Gov. John Kasich, a Republican, championed an anti-union bill that was repealed by voters and signed many anti-abortion laws.
“Governor Kasich speaking at the Democratic National Convention isn’t for Democrats and he certainly isn’t for Ohio Democrats," says David Niven, a political science professor at the University of Cincinnati.
“Well, he is meant to speak to that voter who might have cast a Republican ballot their entire life but be uncomfortable with Donald Trump," Niven says.
Niven notes Democratic politician Zell Miller of Georgia spoke at the RNC for President George W Bush in 2004. And he says there’s one thing that holds true in these cases.
“Once they’ve stepped to the podium in the other party’s convention, their career within their party is over.”
But Niven says Kasich could be trying to position himself for a cabinet post in a Biden administration.
