WASHINGTON — Ohio Gov. John Kasich reportedly has secured the support of a onetime ally of Bill Clinton’s for his presidential bid.

Ron Burkle, a billionaire investor who has given money primarily to Democrats, is scheduled to host a Jan. 12 fund-raiser for Mr. Kasich at the Soho House in Los Angeles, Politico magazine reported this week.

Mr. Burkle, who earned his $1.58 billion net worth largely through grocery-chain investments, is a co-owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey team. Mr. Kasich is from McKees Rocks, a small town near Pittsburgh. Forbes magazine ranked Mr. Burkle the 714th richest person on the planet in 2015.

Politico reports that Mr. Burkle has given more than $450,000 in political contributions to federal candidates in the past, including giving money to Democratic contender Hillary Clinton for her successful 2000 Senate run and in her unsuccessful 2008 presidential bid.

The bulk of his money has gone to Democrats, but Mr. Burkle also has given to Republicans including Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, and he has given money to one-time GOP presidential aspirant Tim Pawlenty, a former Minnesota governor.

According to a search of the Federal Elections Commission website, he gave $125,000 to the Senate Majority PAC, a political action committee supporting Democrats running for Senate. He gave $476,600 to candidates and committees supporting candidates, and gave $52,000 to joint fund-raising committees that were raising money for more than one candidate at the same time. He gave $5,000 to the Ohio Democratic Party in 1998.

Mr. Burkle is the head of the private-equity firm Yucaipa Cos., which sells and buys supermarket chains.

Mr. Burkle and former President Bill Clinton reportedly were close in the years after Mr. Clinton’s presidency, with Mr. Clinton a frequent guest on Mr. Burkle’s private Boeing 757 aircraft.

But their close friendship led to criticism from conservative outlets that Mr. Clinton was living a playboy lifestyle, and when Hillary Clinton was nominated to be secretary of state in 2008, Mr. Clinton severed his ties with Mr. Burkle, according to a 2010 profile of Mr. Burkle by Business Week.

Although it’s unclear what the impact of Mr. Burkle’s support will be, it could have a potentially huge impact on Mr. Kasich’s campaign. Mr. Kasich, who is about fifth in an average of polls in New Hampshire, needs a surge to help him break away from a crowded GOP presidential field.

While Mr. Burkle is limited in how much he can give to a candidate’s specific election committee, he can give an unlimited amount to New Day for America, a super-PAC set up to support Mr. Kasich’s presidential bid.

Another wealthy donor, longtime Kasich loyalist Mark Kvamme, gave $500,000 to the pro-Kasich New Day Independent Media Committee earlier in 2015 — an amount that enabled the group to buy TV ads in New Hampshire to boost his name identification.

First Published January 1, 2016, 5:00 a.m.