Goes all-out

Ohio’s bromance: Kasich goes all-out to save Portman

The popular Ohio governor is working overtime to lift his old pal and counter any Trump drag in a critical Senate race.

By John Bresnahan

Sen. Rob Portman faces a grueling and costly reelection battle this fall, with Donald Trump causing him serious headaches from the top of the ticket. But the Ohio Republican is counting on some critical help from an old pal: John Kasich.

The popular two-term governor of the Buckeye State has pledged to do whatever is needed to help Portman defeat Democrat Ted Strickland in the marquee Senate contest. That means fundraising, campaign events, TV ads — basically anything Portman wants.

The Republican incumbent needs whatever lift he can get. The race will easily top $100 million, and Trump — with his unpredictable rhetoric and polar opposite views on trade and other issues — is a major X factor for the establishment-minded Portman.

The Portman-Kasich alliance is about more than just political expediency. The two go back decades in Ohio politics. Portman remained loyal to Kasich during the governor’s failed bid for the GOP presidential nomination, despite heavy pressure to throw his support to Jeb Bush; Kasich gets a chance to repay that allegiance now. As for Kasich, it’s another opportunity to stick a dagger in Strickland, the man he toppled in a bitter campaign six years ago to become governor. The enmity between them is still clearly visible.

It’s also a chance for Kasich to help his friend weather any fallout from the man he tried but failed to beat in the Republican presidential primary.

“I’ve always been all in for Rob,” Kasich told POLITICO this week. “First of all, he’s a friend of mine and he’s a good guy. Second, he’s probably one of the most effective guys in the U.S. Senate. ... He understands how to not only be a conservative, but to get along with other people.”

Kasich added: “I really want to him to be able to stay down there and basically represent me and my family.”

Portman looks like he’ll need all the help he can get in a Senate race that will easily top $100 million.

Ohio, of course, is a top presidential swing state, and Democrats have the upper hand so far. Hillary Clinton’s lead over Donald Trump in surveys of the state ranges from 4 to 9 points, according to the most recent polls. While Portman and other vulnerable Senate GOP incumbents like Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania and Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire can argue that ticket splitters will save them even if Trump tanks in battleground states, there’s a limit how far that phenomenon can go. A double-digit loss in Ohio by Trump could doom Portman, even if the veteran lawmaker runs the perfect campaign.

As for the Portman-Strickland race, the most recent public polls show it’s a tossup. Aides to the former Democratic governor and congressman dismiss the Kasich endorsement as meaningless in a political environment dominated by presidential politics.

Yet the very tightness of this race could make Kasich the most valuable surrogate for any Republican senator up for reelection this fall. He's the most popular political figure in Ohio, with overall approval rating in the high 50s to low 60s. Among independents, a key bloc of voters for Portman, Kasich’s approval rating tops 70 percent.

Having Kasich go big for Portman does nothing but aid the incumbent, especially in what’s likely to be a razor-close contest.

"It’s incredibly helpful to me to have John’s support," Portman said, adding that he’d spoken to Kasich earlier this week to thank him for sending out another fundraising email. “I talked to his chief of staff last night about more (that) they want to do, in terms of TV ads and that sort of thing. It’s really helpful.”

“He has the ability to tell a story about Ted Strickland that nobody else can,” Portman added. “He’s the perfect messenger.”

That message echoes the case Kasich made to voters when they ousted Strickland. “During his time in office, Ohio lost more than 350,000 jobs, we ranked 48th in job creation, and our rainy day fund was drained to just 89 cents,” Kasich said in his latest fundraising email for Portman. “Our country can’t afford that kind of management.”

Portman was born in Cincinnati, and he represented the eastern part of the city during his House tenure. Kasich’s congressional district covered part of Columbus — Ohio's biggest city — and he has political strength in the I-75 corridor from Dayton to Toledo in western Ohio, home to many of the Buckeye State’s Republican voters.

Portman, 60, and Kasich, 64, served in the House together for eight years during the 1990s, including on the Budget Committee, of which Kasich eventually became chairman. They co-sponsored legislation and remained close even after they left Congress — Portman in 2005 for the George W. Bush administration and Kasich in 2001 for TV, a job with a Wall Street firm, and his eventual run for governor.

Kasich has already done eight fundraising emails for Portman, plus a direct-mail piece soliciting campaign money. Those missives — there are more to come, said Portman campaign sources — have yielded nearly $100,000.

Two of Kasich’s former presidental campaign aides have formed a PAC called Eyes on Ohio to help persuade Republican voters in the March primary to support Portman, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported on Thursday.

Yet perhaps the most important role for Kasich will be campaign appearances. Portman is planning an RV tour of the state in August, with Kasich joining him. More joint events will happen this fall, the sources said.

“Kasich is the most popular politician in Ohio,” said Rep. Pat Tiberi (R-Ohio). “He’s got enormous crossover support. He’s got incredibly high numbers among unaffiliated voters. ... He’s going to use his political capital across the finish line. It’s enormously important.”

Strickland and other Democrats doubt Kasich’s surrogacy work will help Portman much, if at all: The governor's popularity isn’t going to rub off on Portman, in their view. They say Trump is likely to hurt Portman more than Kasich will help him. Democrats assert trade is a particularly lethal issue for the incumbent: Trump has railed against international trade deals, while Portman served as U.S. trade representative in the Bush administration. If Trump hammers the trade issue in the Buckeye State, and there's no reason to think he won't, that will give Strickland an opening to hit Portman.

Sources close to Strickland said that they see some potential for ticket-splitting in this race as well, but for Trump-Strickland, based on the trade issue.

The Strickland campaign is also pounding Portman over the fact he is supporting Trump and planning to attend the GOP convention in Cleveland. Kasich has refused to endorse Trump over his Muslim immigration ban and other issues, and the governor has no plans to attend the convention. Strickland’s campaign is attacking Portman daily over his support of Trump, and the criticism is sure to intensify as the convention nears.

“While Gov Kasich is refusing to back Donald Trump and may not even appear at the GOP convention in Cleveland, Sen. Portman is continuing to endorse Trump’s toxic and divisive campaign — which is just more proof that Portman is the ultimate Washington insider who is totally out of touch with the people of Ohio,” said David Bergstein, Stickland’s spokesman. “Whenever Portman even mentions Gov. Kasich’s name, we look forward to asking him why he is refusing to follow the governor’s example and retract his endorsement of Trump.”

Strickland will get plenty of help from presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton — she’s already made multiple trips to Ohio since she effectively clinched the Democratic nomination — and from other party luminaries. Vice President Joe Biden is doing two events with Stickland on Thursday, with more likely in the fall.

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), a possible vice-presidential pick for Clinton, downplayed the value of Kasich’s support for Portman.

“I don’t think you transfer much popularity that way,” Brown said. “I think the more interesting question is what Kasich is doing with Trump.”