Now that Marco Rubio has dropped out, Ohio Gov. John Kasich has fully adopted his contested convention strategy, announcing several new advisers Tuesday night with relevant convention experience. Nick Gass reports:
Those joining the effort include Stu Spencer, who served as Ronald Reagan's chief strategist for his two gubernatorial campaigns in California in 1966 and 1970 and his two presidential campaigns in 1980 and 1984; Charlie Black, who advised Reagan and both Bushes in the White House, as well as Sen. John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign; former Rep. Vin Weber (R-Minn.), who advised Newt Gingrich leading up to the 1994 midterm elections as well as serving as a top adviser to presidential candidates Bob Dole, George W. Bush and Mitt Romney in past campaigns; and longtime Tennessee operative Tom Ingram, who served in a similar capacity for erstwhile candidate Jeb Bush.
Kasich's campaign, in its announcement, made sure to note that Spencer "played a central role" in helping President Gerald Ford secure the GOP nomination at the 1976 convention, the last such time there was a contested convention, which is the governor's sole path to the Republican nomination at this juncture. Black also worked on Reagan's 1976 presidential campaign, which lost out to Ford at the convention in Kansas City, Missouri.
So if you've been looking forward to a contested GOP convention, John Kasich is standing right there beside you.