It’s 2018 but Kasich is still running for president in 2016. And he is insanely jealous. Kasich cannot come to terms with the fact that President Trump is so popular, he can come to Ohio and draw crowds measured in the tens of thousands. Donald J. Trump can motivate legions of volunteers and countless voters with a single rally appearance.

Special elections are turnout elections. When only 37 percent of the electorate shows up to vote, you must motivate your base to win. And nobody excites and turns out Republican base voters better than President Trump.

There was a time when Kasich was better than that, a time when he was a promising leader in the Republican Party. He was a key player in the Republican House revolution in 1994 and served as Budget Committee chairman the last time Republicans balanced the federal budget.