John Kasich has held many titles – U.S. Representative, Governor of Ohio, presidential candidate, political analyst and New York Times-bestselling author – to name a few. He may be one of the most recognizable political figures in Ohio, having made broadcast television appearances for one reason or another for almost 50 years running.
But Westervillians don’t have to turn on their TV to catch a glimpse of Kasich, they may run into him on the street – literally.
“I live here, right? So, you can see me around. Just be careful if I’m crossing against the light, that nobody runs me over. I’m trying to be more careful,” Kasich laughs.
Local roots
Kasich has called Westerville home since moving to the area in 1974, after graduating from The Ohio State University. Despite his longstanding political career, he never moved to New York or D.C., or even into the Governor’s Mansion in Bexley during the eight years he held office.
“I’ve had a lot of things that could have pulled me from Westerville, but I never even thought twice about leaving this town,” he says. “When I look at Westerville, a community that I love and I’ve been around all of my adult life, it’s just a very special place, and the sense of community here really matters to the people who are here.”
It’s not surprising to see Kasich around Uptown, shopping for gifts and flowers, or getting a scoop from Graeter’s. He has an office at Otterbein University which he considers his home base.
“I’m just kind of hanging out and I don’t think as much about it,” he says. “You know, the great thing about Westerville is, people don’t care about it either, it’s all sort of normal the way it is. I’m just a regular guy, just making my way through life, doing what I can do, and trying to use my talents to the best of my ability.”
Keeping America healthy
Those who follow politics may know Kasich for his work in finance and his heavy involvement in passing the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. However, fiscal policy isn’t the only political topic about which he’s passionate.
Kasich has long voiced his stances on healthcare, working to expand Medicaid and advocating for health equity in Ohio and beyond.
He is passionate about behavioral health treatment access for adults and children and serves as co-chair for The Bipartisan Policy Center’s Youth Mental Health and Substance Use Task Force, a group of healthcare policy figures working in the public and private sectors.
Maisie Fitzmaurice
He is affiliated with The Meadow Foundation’s Mental Health Policy Institute through frequent appearances on The Kasich & Keller Conversation Series where he discusses mental health policy and adjacent topics with the institute’s President and CEO, Andy Keller, over video chat.
Additionally, Kasich calls on students and young professionals to enter the behavioral health field and voices his support for expanding access to behavioral healthcare through primary care.
He is currently working on a project focused on allowing behavioral therapists to provide care over state lines.
“We want our folks to be able to have the kind of help that they need to lead a full life,” he says. “If somebody here goes (away) to college, I want them to be able to keep their therapist.”
His wife, Karen, has said publicly she is not much of a politician, but that hasn’t stopped her from using her platform to advocate for public health – particularly substance abuse prevention and the intersectionality of food insecurity and nutrition.
She and the couple’s two twin daughters, Emma and Reese, who will turn 25 in January, have been involved with local nonprofits including Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio’s Faith Mission, and Westerville Area Resource Ministry (WARM), which both focus on remedying homelessness and hunger.
Respected author
Even with all his experience serving in high-power positions, Kasich says he is most proud to be the author of five published books, all of which are bestsellers.
Kasich published his first book, Courage Is Contagious: Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things To Change The Face Of America, in 1999. The book tells the story of twenty American men and women who show moral conviction and a willingness to go above and beyond – one of whom is Cheryl Krueger, founder of Cheryl’s Cookies.
His next book, Stand for Something: The Battle for America’s Soul, published in 2006, details the importance of holding yourself and others accountable for actions that impact the past, present and future of American politics and culture.
He shared his deep-rooted values and Christian faith in Every Other Monday: Twenty Years of Life, Lunch, Faith, and Friendship, published in 2011; and pivoted back to American politics in 2017, with Two Paths: America Divided or United.
His most recent book, It’s Up to Us: Ten Little Ways We Can Bring About Big Change, published in 2019, explores how civilian citizens can positively impact their communities using a bottom-up approach.
“Today, I believe that you can have great influence without having to be elected,” he says.
Belief in building bridges
Over the course of his career, Kasich has published five books ranging in topics from politics and its impact to anecdotal stories about American citizens. In April, Kasich’s sixth book – Heaven Help Us: How Faith Communities Inspire Hope, Strengthen Neighborhoods, and Build the Future – will be released.
“It’s kind of amazing for me that I will have written six books. I mean, I can hardly believe it,” he says.
Maisie Fitzmaurice
Kasich has long been drawn to religion and its impact on society. This book shares everyday people’s nuanced stories of faith and religion.
“It’s a book about churches, synagogues and mosques, and the critical role they play in supporting people who have big dreams and try to accomplish significant things,” he says.
This book is somewhat of a passion project for Kasich, and he can’t wait to see how readers digest it.
“I’m hoping that this is going to have a significant impact on the dialog in our country about where we’re going,” he says. “…Too many people have been attacking other people because they don’t think alike. I mean, that’s not healthy for a society, and the fundamental purpose of all religions is, one: love God, and secondly: love your neighbor as you love yourself. That doesn’t mean we’re all perfect. I’m far from it. I can be short in all kinds of things, but in the end, I know my responsibility.”
Advising, analyzing, thriving
Don’t ask Kasich if he’s retired – but if you do, he will assure you he is far from it.
Apart from his career as an author, Kasich heads up the Kasich Company, an advising agency that specializes in navigating the intersections between business and government.
He also travels across the country as a political figure to make appearances at universities and conferences and is a political analyst for NBC News and its affiliated networks.
While politics can get confrontational, and politicians inevitably receive a lot of criticism, Kasich isn’t fazed. Even when discussing serious topics or conflicts, he says he tries to keep an uplifting side to it.
“People are usually pretty darn nice,” he says. “I mean, sometimes you’ll run into somebody that could be a little bit mean-spirited, but I just don’t pay that much attention to it. I take everything with a grain of salt: the good and the bad. I just don’t let it knock me off my course.”
Maisie Fitzmaurice is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at mfitzmaurice@cityscenemediagroup.com.
