Ohio Gov. John Kasich will return to New Hampshire this fall to help re-elect Republican U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte, he told the state’s delegates at an event Wednesday.
“To the people of New Hampshire, I’ll be back,” he shouted at the end of his remarks.
Kasich, whose presidential campaign sputtered out months ago, has not endorsed Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and is not attending the GOP convention in Cleveland this week, much to the chagrin of the businessman’s backers.
Kasich has been very present in Cleveland, however, speaking to the delegations from key battleground states, including Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and Michigan.
Some delegates boycotted Kasich’s event Wednesday, voicing frustration that the Republican has yet to embrace Trump.
“He is an embarrassment,” said state Rep. Al Baldasaro, a Trump delegate. “He needs to put country first and stop being a sore loser.”
Kasich didn’t mention Trump or Democrat Hillary Clinton in his brief remarks. Instead, he recalled fond memories from his time campaigning in New Hampshire, where he finished second in the state primary, and delivered a message of faith and hope.
“I am here to bring people together,” he said. “I want people to care about one another and I want our solutions to lift our country like a tidal force.”
Kasich’s tone breaks from that inside the convention, where most speakers take jabs at Clinton. And his remarks had the ring of a campaign stump speech.
“After this week it was nice to hear. It wasn’t anti-Hillary, it was very hopeful,” said Melissa Stevens, a Jeb Bush delegate from New Hampshire. “My guy isn’t going to run again, so I am shopping for 2020.”
Kasich’s schedule this week has touched off talk he may consider another presidential run. But he didn’t address it Wednesday, instead indicating he will be traveling the country in the coming months to support Republicans in Congress up for re-election. Kasich shook hands with delegates, but refused to take reporter questions Wednesday.
Trump’s delegates said it’s time for Kasich to get behind Trump.
“He’s a great speaker, I would love to see him at the convention,” said state Rep. Fred Doucette, a delegate from Salem who attended Kasich’s address Wednesday. “I admire the man.”
“If you want to be part of the party you really should be supporting the candidate,” said Steven Goddu, a Ted Cruz delegate. “Trump wasn’t my first choice and I am supporting him now. John Kasich should be doing the same.”
Kasich beat out several other establishment candidates in New Hampshire’s primary, scoring a boost that propelled his campaign forward. The presidential hopeful, however, won in only one state, Ohio, and his campaign eventually ended.
New Hampshire’s Kasich delegates have been devoted followers during the convention.
Former U.S. senator Gordon Humphrey came to Cleveland a week early to work on stop-Trump efforts. He left Ohio on Tuesday – after Trump officially secured the nomination – with plans to change his party affiliation from Republican to independent.