He is a fact that refutes a theory — the theory that professional wrestling and American politics share a lack of honest emotion. This caffeinated son of a mailman from McKees Rocks, Pa., lacks the filter that other politicians install in their skulls to protect them from saying whatever they are thinking at the moment.

In Congress, Kasich was the first iteration of Paul Ryan, mastering budget intricacies. He participated in the Clinton-era dramas that produced two government shutdowns (1995, 1996) and a balanced budget (1998).

As governor, he has cut taxes by $3 billion. Death is no longer a taxable event in Ohio, and under his proposed budget, small businesses would be untaxed until their income reaches $2 million. Because of his focus on economic growth, the building-trades unions supported his reelection. State colleges and universities were reimbursed on a per-pupil basis, and now, he says, “do not get a dime” for a student who doesn’t graduate.