Less than 48 hours after Ohio State University President Michael Drake announced his surprise resignation, speculation was mounting that his successor will be one of OSU’s most celebrated alumni: John Kasich.
A spokesman for the former Ohio governor and 2016 Republican told reporters that the scenario of a “President Kasich” — first reported on Friday by veteran WCMH (Columbus)-TV anchor Colleen Marshall — was “speculative.”
But the talk of Kasich taking the helm of his alma mater mushroomed over the weekend.
Although Kasich lacks the advanced degrees or academic background that usually accompany candidates for university presidencies, politicians have a long track record of assuming the top jobs in academia.
Former Rep. Ray Thornton, D.-Ark, best-known as a Member of the House Judiciary Committee when it considered the impeachment of Richard Nixon, lost a U.S. Senate race in 1978 and later became president of Arkansas State University and the University of Arkansas system.
Former Democratic Gov. Terry Sanford of North Carolina was president of Duke University in 1969 and held the post for 16 years. More recently, Michigan’s former Republican Gov. John Engler was acting president of Michigan State University until a Democratic takeover of MSU’s Board of Trustees resulted in his ouster.
Although some Kasich-watchers say that the former governor accepting the OSU position at 68 rules him out of future political endeavors. But others note that Woodrow Wilson used the presidency of Princeton University (N.J.) as a stepping stone to the governorship of New Jersey and the presidency and that Dwight Eisenhower was president of Columbia University before becoming president of the United States.
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
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