Ohio governor and former presidential candidate John Kasich is coming back to New Hampshire this weekend — this time to lend a hand in a downticket race.
Kasich recently endorsed Executive Councilor Chris Sununu in his bid for governor. In a recent Facebook post, he said he’s “looking forward to a few New Hampshire visits” to help Sununu and Sen. Kelly Ayotte leading up to the election.
On Monday, Kasich headline a press conference with Sununu at 11:30 a.m. in Concord. Later that afternoon, the pair will join State Sen. Russell Prescott, who’s running for Sununu’s open seat on the executive council, for a walk through downtown Exeter.
Kasich is also expected to attend a fundraiser for Sununu while he’s in the area.
Neither Ayotte nor Sununu endorsed a candidate during the New Hampshire presidential primary. But Chris Sununu’s brother, Sen. John E. Sununu, was a top adviser to Kasich's presidential campaign.
Before Kasich gets back out on the campaign trail in the Granite State, he’s first planning to ceremonially close the books on his primary campaign — gathering with staff and supporters for a thank you celebration in New Hampshire late Sunday.
Asked whether voters should read into Kasich’s visit any plans for another presidential run, a close New Hampshire adviser said the governor’s focused on the more imminent election.
“This isn’t about 2020, this isn’t about John Kasich, this is about key elections around the country this fall,” said Bruce Berke, who supported Kasich in both his 2000 and 2016 New Hampshire primary campaigns.
Kasich came in second place in this year’s New Hampshire primary, and was one of the last major candidates to drop out, in early May.