President Kasich was elected in 2016 after beating out(in order) Ben Carson, Marco Rubio, and Carly Fiorina, the other top four members. He has since signed into law infrastructure investments and a small economic stimulus, which, combined, totaled out at $325 billion. A recession beginning in December of 2017 and ending in October of 2018 was ended quickly enough for a last-minute surge for the Republicans.
The 2018 Midterms left:
House of Representatives:
225 R,
209 DSpeaker of the House of Representatives:
Adam Kinzinger(172 R, 58 D = 223)
Senate:
55 R + 1 I(King),
43 D + 1 I(Sanders)After gay marriage polling hit 64-31 in 2019, President Kasich would become the first incumbent Republican President to endorse it. He stated that his opinion was changed after giving a story of a gay couple he had met recently. Following this statement on June 1, 2019, the Republicans reached a 54-41 support for it within six months.
Congressman Garrett is challenging President Kasich mostly on the basis of gay marriage. Of the remaining 23 from 36 Congressmen in 2016, fifteen voted to endorse Garrett. Eight Congresspeople have endorsed Garrett from outside the Caucus.
People in the caucus who have resigned because of this include:
- Vice-Chairman Justin Amash
- Representative Thomas Massie
- Representative Scott Perry
This leaves the Caucus with 20 known members and approximately another thirty-five who commonly align with it. Besides the House Caucus, Senator Ted Cruz and Governor Sam Brownback have endorsed Garrett.
President Kasich has 54-43 approval-disapproval ratings on January 1, 2020. How does this election go?
[Note: I think potential Democratic nominees include:
- Gov. Gavin Newsom
- Sen. Cory Booker
- Sen. Claire McCaskill
- Sen. Ron Wyden
- Rep. Keith Ellison