Former Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R), who has been granted a coveted speaking slot at the 2020 Democratic National Convention (DNC), is making it clear that his conservative politics aren’t going anywhere.
The ex-governor told BuzzFeed News in an interview published on Monday that his speech scheduled for that evening was “not something that I instigated.” Rather, the Democrats were the ones who invited him.
“And when they came and asked, ‘Do you want to do it?’ I had to think about it, right? I had to think about it,” Kasich said. “And it’s not like I’m gonna be turning around. I’m a Republican.”
“But I just think that at this point in time, my Republican affiliation is outweighed by my concern about the direction of the country,” he continued.
Kasich asserted that “both parties have to have new ideas” and that Democrats and Republicans are “not in two warring camps” against each other.
“I don’t care if people agree or disagree with my speaking there,” he said. “Whatever. We’ve got to settle things down.”
The Republican told BuzzFeed News that Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden’s campaign has not offered him a spot in a potential Biden administration, though he would be “more than glad to advise” the Democrat if he defeats President Donald Trump in November.
