Ohio Gov. John Kasich managed to deny Donald Trump a clean sweep Tuesday with a decisive victory in Ohio, besting Trump by around 10 points judging by current returns. Conventional wisdom was that victories in Florida and Ohio would sew up the nomination for Trump, and Trump had no problem taking Florida from Marco Rubio, leading him to suspend his campaign. But a Kasich victory in Ohio keeps the governor alive and with his eyes on the surrounding states.
We're now rocking out to Journey's Don't Stop Believin' at Kasich's victory rally because, duh.
— Alexis Levinson (@alexis_levinson) March 16, 2016
BREAKING: Kasich is the projected winner in Ohio GOP primary https://t.co/1Hc5SQhiKz #Decision2016 #PrimaryDay pic.twitter.com/SZtxktcdOx
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) March 16, 2016
CNN projects John Kasich will win the Republican #OhioPrimary https://t.co/DkPyle0Wrv pic.twitter.com/n6DRhwkFSb
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) March 16, 2016
John Kasich projected to win #Ohio. https://t.co/vEZcrEwBG8 pic.twitter.com/gCqCAGy6Zr
— Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) March 16, 2016
Homestate hero John Kasich has won the Ohio GOP primary.https://t.co/Ba1DgYkiZw pic.twitter.com/F6J1XCiXMT
— Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) March 16, 2016
https://twitter.com/paultbradley/status/709910276267618308
Pundits say that this winner-take-all victory by Kasich, which comes with 66 delegates, could have major ramifications on the direction of the race. Not President Kasich ramifications, but a stumbling block for Donald Trump.
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Based on the early results, Kasich will be mathematically eliminated from the nomination tonight, even after winning Ohio.
— Leon Wolf (@LeonHWolf) March 16, 2016
Kasich would need 110% of remaining delegates to win nomination before convention. #mathproblem. But if "deny Trump" is goal then he stays
— Chuck Todd (@chucktodd) March 16, 2016
https://twitter.com/alexrileyiscool/status/709907198231519233
A contested convention is more possible now: NBC calls OH for Kasich. Is this Trump's only loss tonight or does Cruz nab one or more?
— Chuck Todd (@chucktodd) March 16, 2016
Kasich and Ohio with one of the biggest assists in political history
— Bob Bonner (@RBonner_) March 16, 2016
https://twitter.com/ChuckNellis/status/709904848704045056
What's the Kasich equivalent of Feel the Bern… ?
— Lynda Lopez (@LyndaLopez08) March 16, 2016
What’s the next step for Kasich? He’s glad you asked.
“Whole New Ballgame.” Kasich strategist @JWGOP just put out this memo. pic.twitter.com/04oig8IJQM
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) March 16, 2016
Who would've thought, when this cycle started, that Trump, Cruz, Kasich would be the final 3?
— Candace Smith (@CandaceSmith_) March 16, 2016
Mind. Blown.
Strikes me Kasich has a legitimate shot as of tonight, because 1) most likely scenario is no one gets to 1,237 delegates in which case…
— Steven Johnson (@stevenbjohnson) March 16, 2016
2) it's highly likely they go to a 2nd ballot, and once there's a 2nd ballot, it's wide open again. Popcorn!
— Steven Johnson (@stevenbjohnson) March 16, 2016