Ohio Gov. John Kasich did not join Donald Trump for Cincinnati rally

Ohio Gov. John Kasich and President-elect Donald Trump

Ohio Gov. John Kasich and President-elect Donald Trump

Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who refused to endorse Donald Trump or even participate in the Republican National Convention in Cleveland where he was nominated, did not join the president-elect Thursday for his victory lap in Cincinnati.

“No, the event is not on his calendar,” said Kasich press secretary Emmalee Kalmbach. Instead, Kasich has meetings scheduled in Columbus as he prepares his upcoming two-year state budget proposal, she said.

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

Last month while in Washington, D.C. when the Cleveland Cavaliers team was being honored at the White House, Kasich said that he is praying for the success of Trump and he did send out a congratulatory tweet.

“What we can all do as Americans is join hands, join arms, say a few prayers for the success of the next president of the United States,” Kasich said outside the White House.

U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Cincinnati, was also not with Trump. His spokeswoman said Portman had hoped to go but it depended on his Senate schedule. However, tweets posted on Thursday showed Portman at a Christmas Party with other Republicans in Columbus.

Portman initially endorsed Trump but revoked it after a hot mic video emerged in which Trump made crude comments about kissing and groping women against their will.

Trump’s rally was at U.S. Bank Arena downtown, 100 Broadway St., the site of one of Trump’s largest Ohio rallies in the final weeks of the campaign.

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