President Donald Trump critic John Kasich is being treated like a political leper by the leading GOP candidates to succeed him as Ohio governor — including his lieutenant governor, the Cincinnatti Enquirer reported.
According to the news outlet, Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor told a large group of Republicans in conservative Clermont County last week that Kasich had endorsed Ohio's GOP Attorney General Mike DeWine and his running mate, Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted.
Kasich had actually endorsed Taylor.
In the same speech Taylor "said that she has not seen the governor for about a year," but Kasich's spokesman disputed the assertion, saying Kasich and Taylor "have certainly talked many times over the past year."
According to the Enquirer, Husted was waiting to give his speech to the conservative crowd after Taylor when he was informed of her surprising claim.
"Siri, who did John Kasich endorse in the governor's race?" he asked his iPhone. An article from the Enquirer popped up headlined "John Kasich backs Mary Taylor for Ohio governor. Will it help?"
New York magazine reported Ohio candidates are not alone in their fear of association with critics or rivals of President Donald Trump, reporting GOP primary contenders in other parts of the country also do not want to have associations that offend hard-core conservatives — and that portray them as allies of the president's enemies.