Social Conservatives Alarmed About John Kasich’s Surge in New Hampshire

Alex Wong/Getty Images
Alex Wong/Getty Images

A new poll out this week shows former Ohio Gov. John Kasich surging to second place in New Hampshire with 20 percent support among GOP voters, only 7 percent behind Donald Trump.

The American Principles Project (APP) also issued a dossier on Kasich meant to alert pro-life and pro-family voters that Kasich is a growing problem for them.

On Common Core, APP charges, “Kasich supports Common Core more fervently than any other GOP candidate in the field.” He received an F on APP’s Common Core report card and has attacked other conservatives who oppose it.

On homosexual marriage, Kasich has urged the GOP and conservatives to move on. In the first GOP debate, he announced, “the Court has ruled… and we’ll accept it.”

Influential columnist Maggie Gallagher, who edits the campaign blog thepulse2016.com, said, “Kasich’s response [on marriage] suggests he will do nothing to fight for the rights of traditional believers. And he talks down to us to boot.”

Kasich, so far, has refused to endorse the First Amendment Defense Act that would protect religious dissenters on homosexual marriage from governmental persecution. Kasich said, “Let’s not get carried away here.”

Though Kasich has endorsed the 20-week abortion ban, APP says, “he’s had a rough history on this issue with conservatives.” Last August, he said Republicans “focus too much” on abortion.

APP President Frank Cannon warned:

If Marco Rubio finishes third or worse in Iowa, and if John Kasich emerges as a strong second place or even the winner of the New Hampshire primary, things will get very interesting very quickly. In that scenario, Kasich could easily become the de facto establishment candidate, a mantle that [Jeb] Bush and Rubio have both struggled to seize. This should concern social conservatives greatly, as John Kasich is no friend to our movement.

Follow Austin Ruse on Twitter @austinruse.

COMMENTS

Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.