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Rival Campaign, Protesters Gear Up As Trump Hits Ohio
By: Julie Carr Smyth
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Ahead of Donald Trump’s first Ohio campaign stop Monday, supporters of Gov. John Kasich’s presidential bid said that the Ohio Republican has the resume to avoid making the type of inflammatory statements that are tripping up GOP rivals who lack similar government experience.
Kasich’s allies made remarks in a conference call with reporters ahead of Republican front-runner Donald Trump’s first campaign stop in Kasich’s home state.
State Sen. Peggy Lehner said voters seem to like blunt campaign talk but “brash statements on the international stage can be extremely costly.” She joined state Senate President Keith Faber and Congressman Pat Tiberi on the call.
Kasich’s campaign also organized an afternoon event featuring veterans to talk about Trump’s policies.
Trump and Kasich have been feuding since last week, when New Day for America, a super PAC supporting Kasich, aired an ad attacking Trump’s lack of experience and Trump threatened to sue. Kasich was out of state campaigning in Michigan on Monday, visiting a business incubator in Sterling Heights.
Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio, Central Ohio Works Center and the Ohio State University Coalition for Black Lives planned a protest march in conjunction with Trump’s appearance at the Columbus Convention Center downtown. The groups said they were protesting Trump’s “disparaging comments about people of color and women.”
In battleground-state style, a simultaneous anti-abortion protest was also planned, this one by supporters of the so-called Heartbeat Bill which has been introduced – but not passed – for several years. The group Faith2Action said its intent was to draw attention to Kasich’s refusal to support the measure.