Kasich getting serious, launches PAC to raise money

[TJ in Oregon]

Kasich is only similar to Huntsman as a strong general election/weak primary candidate but the reasons why are different.

Huntsman was more alien to most GOP primary voters- a Mormon and one who came out as secular at that- but he was palatable to the establishment had they not already found Romney. But his betrayal was working for Obama. Christie is in ways a better comparison to Huntsman.

Kasich is more Huckabee: an Evangelical Christian whose betrayal of movement conservatives as governor is on things like Obamacare, (as well as a congressman on guns). And some of his rhetoric may alienate some big donors as much as the Tea Party.

It may, but I wouldn't count on it. Kasich did spend years an investment banker for Lehman brothers after all. I have to imagine he understands how not to tick off businesses. He may be religious but he has far more sense than Huckabee.

[Mr. Morden]

Is Kasich really any more religious than the average GOP pol?  I know he used religious language to talk about the welfare state in his first term as governor, but I read that as a transparent attempt to put the most conservative-friendly face on a move to the center that he thought he needed to make in order to be reelected.  (Yes, I know he ended up winning by a big margin, but he was unpopular as recently as 2013, and his reelection looked to be in doubt back then.)

When he was in Congress, he rarely talked about social issues.  He was a pretty single-minded budget hawk, and was pretty much the complete opposite of Huckabee in terms of serving up red meat to the base on cultural issues.

[bobloblaw]

Huntsman is NOT a strong general election candidate

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Huntsman is NOT a strong general election candidate

He was the strongest general election candidate and the weakest primary candidate, actually.

[bobloblaw]

Huntsman is NOT a strong general election candidate

He was the strongest general election candidate and the weakest primary candidate, actually.

No he wasnt. He was the most overrated candidate and would have lost badly to Obama and possibly would have attracted a third party conservative candidate.