Gov. Robert Bentley Throws Endorsement Behind John Kasich
[gtxvideo vid=”xU33CcEM” playlist=”” pid=”XiOflQdH” thumb=”http://player.gtxcel.com/thumbs/xU33CcEM.jpg” vtitle=”Bentley Endorsment”]
Governor Robert Bentley is endorsing Ohio governor John Kasich to be president of the United States. He made the announcement today at a press conference in Birmingham.
Although both men are republicans, some of Kasich’s policies don’t fall in line with Bentley’s and some say the endorsement is a little odd.
John Kasich has been called a moderate republican because of his stance on issues like common core, immigration and most notably Medicaid.
Ohio governor John Kasich now has the support of Governor Robert Bentley. Bentley threw his endorsement behind Kasich at a Monday morning press conference.
“There’s just something special about Alabama beyond Bear Bryant,” Kasich told a crowd. “It’s a great state and it represents so much of the history of the South in America.”
Now some are questioning both the timing of the endorsement and the endorsement itself. Political Analyst Steve Flowers says it came out of left field.
“We’re different states, that’s why it’s surprising. You’d think that he might pick a southerner.”
Perhaps most baffling is Bentley’s decision to support a governor who’s expanded Medicaid. Kasich expanded the program under Obamacare in 2013 to help the low income in his state. Bentley has strongly refused to expand Medicaid in Alabama.
Alabama Arise is a non-profit organization that works to improve the lives of low-income Alabamians. Policy Director Jim Carnes says he sees the endorsement as a step in the right direction.
“We’ve been hopeful that the governor will come forth with a plan for expansion and we’re beginning to see some pretty clear signs that he is considering that.”
And Flowers says, at the end of the day, Bentley’s endorsement of Kasich really doesn’t mean much to Alabamians.
“In Wallace’s heyday, when Wallace was really popular, he would endorse someone for some race and they would lose invariably everytime. It’s just the way Alabamians are. They feel like they gave you a job, you ought to stick to your job instead of other people’s races.”
