John Kasich tries to win over Rhode Island at Bryant University town hall
By Bianca Buono
@BBuonoABC6
Ohio governor and Republican presidential candidate John Kasich tried to win over Rhode Island and its 19 delegates just days away from the state’s primary. He held a town hall at Bryant University in Smithfield Saturday morning.
"We’re in the delegate business now,” John Kasich explained to the crowd of more than 500 people.
"It’s exciting that Rhode Island is now important in a Republican presidential primary race,” said John Gowell of East Greenwich, RI.
"He kind of is an underdog and people aren’t giving him the credit he deserves,” said Bryant University senior Krystal Reid.
"Most of the things he was talking about were common sense issues. Every single one of them resonated with me,” said George Hagan of Simsbury, CT.
While it’s mathematically impossible for him to win the outright majority of delegates, Kasich is refusing to back down. He’s hoping for a contested convention.
"The fundamental problem we’ve had in America is our leadership has been very poor,” said Kasich.
At a town hall event at Bryant University, the GOP hopeful gained a warm reception after making several jokes and received big cheers when talking about taking on the Democratic front-runner. A new poll has him as the only candidate who could beat Hillary Clinton in the general election.
"The survey in New Hampshire had Hillary Clinton at 50 and Donald Trump at 31. It had Hillary Clinton at 48 and Ted Cruz at 34. And the other poll had Hillary Clinton at 36 and I was at 50,” Kasich said.
Kasich has remained quiet throughout the Republican race, while other candidates Ted Cruz and Donald Trump have taken the opposite approach. Kasich says it has made him invisible for the majority of this race, but is confident it’s starting to work in his favor.
"Everything in life is not about having to win. Sometimes things in life, again I’m no saint here, but just trying to do the right thing,” Kasich said while addressing local media after his event.
"A lot of people see what Trump and Cruz are saying and are really turned off by it,” said Bryant University senior Jenna Visgatis.
"He’s been one of the candidates throughout the campaign who hasn’t gone wild with a lot of slurs and everything,” said Pat Smith of Rumford, RI.
"He did great things for the state of Ohio and I think he’s the clear choice between Ted Cruz and Donald Trump,” said first-time voter and Kasich supporter Robert Durant.
So far, Kasich is the only Republican candidate to make a stop in Rhode Island.
© WLNE-TV 2016
