For Kasich, the lone mature moderate, New Hampshire is his last stand

Ohio Gov. John Kasich began his presidential campaign 10 months ago by staking his claim in New Hampshire, a state with a centrist tradition that often embraces moderate candidates.  

Just days before declaring his Republican candidacy, he told a Concord audience that he would not engage in the bombastic, dark messages uttered by driven candidates vying for the ultraconservative vote.  

“I’m an unorthodox politician because I’m normal. I’m a normal guy that has big job,” he said at the time. “I don’t think of myself as anything particularly special. I’m a happy person. I like myself. I’m comfortable with myself. And I’m pretty normal in an abnormal profession.”

Problems to solve

Since then, the governor and former congressman has proceeded calmly with a faithful message that Americans don’t want extremists controlling the government, they want problem solvers.

Now, Kasich faces a big problem to solve as he struggles to gain a top-three spot in Tuesday’s New Hampshire primary. He admitted the other day that, if he does poorly in the Granite State, he’s going to “go home.” 

The underdog candidate’s recent poll numbers in the state have lurched from second to fourth or fifth – though just a few percentage points separate him from Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush. So far, Donald Trump’s hyperbole, however lacking in substance, still carries the day.

In nearly 100 town hall meetings across New Hampshire, Kasich has appealed to independent voters (who can participate in either party’s primary) by emphasizing cutting the federal deficit, boosting the economy and working with Democrats.

Racking up newspaper endorsements

While Kasich has adhered to a thoughtful, low-profile approach, Campaign 2016 is shaping up as the year when the candidate who shouts the loudest gets the most applause.

Beyond the bluster, the governor has quietly racked up seven New Hampshire newspaper endorsements.

“Kasich is not the flashiest candidate in the field, but he has proved a highly effective leader both in Congress and as Ohio’s top executive,” The Portsmouth Herald and Foster’s Daily Democrat wrote.

In addition, he received endorsements from the New York Times, The Boston Globe and Iowa's third largest paper, The Quad-City Times.

The Times editorial board doesn’t buy the idea that Kasich is a true moderate but independents should take note that he was praised for his pragmatism:

“Gov. John Kasich of Ohio, though a distinct underdog, is the only plausible choice for Republicans tired of the extremism and inexperience on display in this race. And Mr. Kasich is no moderate. As governor, he’s gone after public-sector unions, fought to limit abortion rights and opposed same-sex marriage.

“Still, as a veteran of partisan fights and bipartisan deals during nearly two decades in the House, he has been capable of compromise and believes in the ability of government to improve lives. He favors a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, and he speaks of government’s duty to protect the poor, the mentally ill and others “in the shadows.” While Republicans in Congress tried more than 60 times to kill Obamacare, Mr. Kasich did an end-run around Ohio’s Republican Legislature to secure a $13 billion Medicaid expansion to cover more people in his state."

Not afraid to talk about experience

Even if Kasich succeeds in finishing among the three leading contenders on Tuesday, there’s no certainty his unorthodox campaign will carry on much longer. Former Utah governor Jon Huntsman, the 2012 centrist candidate who was outrageously marginalized by the GOP far-right, grabbed the third spot in New Hampshire four years ago, but his candidacy soon imploded when the campaign trail headed to the South.  

In 2016, the year of the outsider, the anti-politician, Kasich -- often unscripted -- talks up his time in government: five years as governor, 18 years in the House.

In a year when GOP candidates defend the wealthy and protect corporate tax breaks, Kasich insists that the party pay special attention to the poor, those suffering from mental illness or substance abuse, and the handicapped.

An optimist in a dark year
In a year when the contenders seem determined to set a new standard for bickering and nastiness in a presidential campaign, Kasich expressed regret for a negative ad run by a super PAC that is supporting him. His campaign team renounced a TV spot targeting Rubio that was relatively tame compared to the fisticuffs between Cruz and Trump.

In a year when those seeking the Oval Office pander to angry, disillusioned voters with rhetoric about an America in shambles, Kasich proudly declares that he has tried to raise the bar by talking about an upbeat, positive future.

Compared to the rest of the field, he has somewhat jokingly referred to himself as “the prince of light and hope.”

Unfortunately, Kasich is running in a year when the GOP seems determined to elect a Prince of Darkness.