Former Gov. John Kasich starts Spirit of '76 speaker series

ELYRIA — For former Ohio Gov. John Kasich, his overarching message, be it in a speaker series in Elyria or his professional writings and television appearances, is simple: The country has its challenges, but it can come back. Kasich sat down with Chronicle-Telegram Editorial Page Editor Brad Dicken for the first in a series of conversations hosted by the Lorain County Civic Engagement Coalition on Tuesday. The Spirit of '76 speaker series, in recognition of 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, plans to bring varying perspectives to Lorain County through a list of speakers every month through July. Kasich, Ohio governor from 2011 to 2019 and a 2016 Republican presidential candidate, spoke to a crowd of about 200 people at Lorain County Community College's Stocker Arts Center, touching on state and national politics in the roughly hourlong discussion. Asked about the state of the union, Kasich noted the country is divided along party lines, with Democrats and Republicans both harboring concerns about the party on the other side of the aisle. "People have to realize that what the other side says is not as horrible as you think it is, and vice versa," he said. Under not only President Donald Trump, but others in office, the legislative branch has also been "missing in action," he said. While those same legislators are not going to win a personal fight against Trump, he said, if they pose the question about bigger issues like tariffs, war powers and student loan debt relief, they may be able to pull their power back. Lately, there has been greater cooperation across the aisle in Congress, with a handful of Republicans siding with Democrats to try to extend health care subsidies, he said, and talking to members individually shows many share the same frustrations. But others are so mired in their own views that they cannot reach out to the other party, he said. As a 30-year-old, fresh-faced U.S. Representative in the early 1980s, Kasich approached politics without strict partisanship — but does not see that happening as often now. Asked if the same divisions are in Ohio, Kasich sees the state legislature as overflow from the national level. Kasich narrowly defeated Democrat Ted Strickland in the 2010 gubernatorial election — a cycle that saw many statewide offices switch from Democrat to Republican. Republicans have continued to hold the bulk of Ohio's statewide offices since then, but that does not mean it will stay that way, he said. Ohio may be a red state now, he said, but he believes it could return to its former status as a swing state. Kasich still considers himself a Republican, despite his run against President Donald Trump in 2016, his lack of attendance at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland that year, his speaking role at the 2020 Democratic National Convention, and his endorsement of other candidates. It is a matter of bringing people together, not pulling them apart, Kasich said. Trump's campaign centered on a negative populism — pinpointing problems and blaming others for them, Kasich said. Kasich considers himself a positive populist. He recognizes problems and tries to fix them, not pass blame. He endorsed Joe Biden in the 2020 election, but found the 46th president's term "disastrous." In the 2024 election, Kasich declined to say who he voted for, only offering it was neither name at the top of the parties' tickets. "I'm a Republican because I really believe the government is the last resort, not as a first resort," he said. "But, when it comes to the doctrinaire, I'm not particularly doctrinaire." He pointed to his support of Medicaid expansion in Ohio and beyond, because it was in the public interest – not a party-backed policy or talking point. In his more recent works, Kasich has focused on a need for faith and spirituality, and with it, morality and mutual respect. For the country to reconcile its differences — to come back from its challenges — the movement must be a groundswell from the bottom up, he said. There is no silver bullet to the problems plaguing the nation, he said. Change takes time, but local efforts can have a profound impact. He implored attendees to think about solving problems around them — addressing hunger, loneliness, housing for adults with disabilities — and to heal the country by addressing the needs within their community. "What I'm suggesting is that we need some sort of a spiritual revival," he said. "This is not about narrow religious debates or any of that stuff .. I'm talking about a sense of love God, which brings humility, and love your neighbor, that means treat your neighbor like you want to be treated. And if we could adopt those two things, I think we'd be in a much better (place)." Kasich is the author of several books, including "It's Up to Us: Ten Little Ways We Can Bring About Big Change," runs the Kasich Company and serves as a national political analyst. The next Spirit of '76 speaker series event will be at 6 p.m. Feb. 23 at the Stocker Arts Center. Alex Nowrasteh, immigration policy analyst for the Cato Institute, will discuss open immigration. Events are free and open to the public. Registration is required at loraincounty.com/e/spiritof76. For more information, call (440) 322-6300. Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com.