Ohio's Kasich to enter Republican presidential race July 21: Politico

[June 29, 2015]  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Ohio Republican Governor John Kasich will announce his candidacy for president on July 21 at an event at Ohio State University, Politico reported on Sunday, citing advisers.

Kasich, 63, would join 13 other Republicans seeking their party's nomination next year. Re-elected to a second term as Ohio's governor last November, Kasich has said his potential presidential run depended on raising enough money to compete in a crowded Republican field.

Politico quoted advisers as saying that Kasich would aim to seem less scripted than leading Republican rivals and that he combined establishment appeal with a conservative voting record that included his 18 years in Congress.

Kasich, a former chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Budget Committee, heads an important electoral swing state, which could make him a potent force in the Republican field.

He ranks 13th in a realclearpolitics.com average of polls for declared and undeclared Republican presidential candidates. That leaves him currently outside the top 10 candidates in national polling who will participate in the party's first debate in August.

Declared Republican candidates include former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, former Hewlett-Packard Chief Executive Carly Fiorina, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal.

Also in the race are former New York Governor George Pataki, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, former Texas Governor Rick Perry, Florida Senator Marco Rubio, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum and real estate executive Donald Trump.

Still considering runs are New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker.

(Reporting by Peter Cooney; Editing by Matthew Lewis, Toni Reinhold)

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