Gov. Kasich to be guest speaker at Lincoln Day Dinner

Lucas County Republican Party Chairman Jon Stainbrook called John Kasich's upcoming Lincoln Day Dinner speech the “don’t-miss Republican event of the year,”

Ohio Gov. John Kasich will be the guest speaker at the Lincoln Day Dinner of the Lucas County Republican Party this year, according to party Chairman Jon Stainbrook.

The event is set for Feb. 21 at the Premier banquet hall, 4480 Heatherdowns Blvd.

Mr. Stainbrook called it the “don’t-miss Republican event of the year,” and said it’s unusual to have a sitting governor as the speaker for the county Lincoln Day Dinner. The event raises money for the party and is named in honor of the first elected GOP president.

“I’m honored that he’s coming here. It’s very exciting,” Mr. Stainbrook said. “It’s going to be another stellar event.”

Previous Lincoln Day Dinner guests during Mr. Stainbrook’s tenure were Mr. Kasich when he was a candidate in 2009, veteran GOP strategist Karl Rove in 2010, Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor in 2011, and 2012 Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain.

The event starts with a social hour at 6 p.m. and a silent auction. The dinner and program start at 7 p.m. Tickets are $50 a person and $375 to sponsor a table of eight.

Tickets to the Chairman’s Reception and Dinner are $300 for an individual and $2,000 to sponsor eight people.

Tickets can be obtained by contacting the Lucas County Republican Party at 419-482-0506 or emailing admin@lucascountygop.org.

After being sworn into office in January, 2011, Mr. Kasich closed an $8 billion budget shortfall and made his top priority to “create a jobs-friendly climate so Ohioans can get back to work,” according to the party.

The party says Mr. Kasich avoided raising taxes and brought a “common-sense, results-oriented focus” to state government that has Ohioans going back to work and the state getting a “stable” credit rating from all three major credit rating agencies.

Mr. Kasich is expected to seek re-election next year. At least four Democrats are testing the waters to run against him: Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald; former state treasurer and attorney general Richard Cordray, now director of the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau; U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of the Youngstown area, and former U.S. Rep. Betty Sutton of the Cleveland area.

Campaign finance reports filed Thursday with the Ohio Secretary of State show Mr. Kasich started the year with a campaign war chest of $2,129,388. In 2010, Mr. Kasich spent $17.2 million against incumbent Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland’s $16.7 million, setting a state record for spending on a governor’s race.

Contact Tom Troy at: tomtroy@theblade.com or 419-724-6058.