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John Kasich operatives start PAC to help Sen. Rob Portman in Ohio

Chrissie Thompson
cthompson@enquirer.com
Ohio Gov. John Kasich talks with Ben Kaiser and Jeff Polesovsky (right) as staffers prepare for his presidential campaign launch in July at Ohio State's student union.

COLUMBUS - Two political operatives from Gov. John Kasich's presidential campaign are starting a PAC aimed at turning new Ohio voters in the GOP primary into supporters of Sen. Rob Portman.

Jeff Polesovsky, Kasich's former political director, turned down overtures when the Donald Trump campaign was seeking an Ohio campaign manager for the presumptive nominee. Instead, Polesovsky and Columbus lobbyist Ben Kaiser, who was deputy political director on Kasich's campaign, have founded Eyes on Ohio. The two are fundraising and must file with the Federal Election Commission as a political action committee once money comes in.

The battle in March between Trump and Kasich drew almost 1 million voters into the GOP primary who hadn't pulled a Republican ballot in 2014. Some of those were strong Democrats wanting to vote against Trump, but who are likely to vote in November for Hillary Clinton and Senate candidate Ted Strickland, a former Democratic governor. Some are die-hard Trump fans who will respond to the Republican Party's efforts for both Trump and the re-election campaign of Portman, of Terrace Park.

The new PAC will focus on about 300,000 of those voters Polesovsky says official Republican Party efforts won't reach, largely because of the voters' cool feelings toward Trump. Those people include weak Democrats, Republicans who haven't voted in a while and independents who identify with the GOP. Eyes on Ohio also will seek to reach Trump primary voters who have since become disillusioned with Trump. The names and addresses of people who pulled a Republican primary ballot are public information, and the PAC will reach voters by combining those records with social media information, consumer data available for purchase and contacts such as phone calls.

The goal: learn what issues and messages motivate those voters, persuade them and turn them out for Portman in November, and keep them in the Republican fold in future elections. Without such an effort, "they might just go away and might not pull another ballot in the next 10 years," Polesovsky told The Enquirer.

"This primary has helped expand our party, and we want to help continue that effort," Kaiser said in a statement.

The pitch also appeals to some anti-Trump GOP donors who are leery of giving money to the Republican Party, knowing it will go to support both Trump's and Portman's campaign. And some donors worry Trump won't be able to carry Ohio.

"There are a lot of people saying, 'We don't want to support Trump, but we love Portman,' " Polesovsky said. "People are saying, "Trump is going to be Trump, but we need to make sure the (GOP majority in the) Senate is safe.' "

Portman and Strickland are locked in a tight race. They were tied at 42 percent each in a Quinnipiac University poll released last week. Portman and his allies are seeking to improve the incumbent's name recognition. Strickland is better known from his years as governor, but more Ohioans have a negative opinion of him.

David Bergstein, a spokesman for Strickland, called the new PAC's formation a sign of "crippling disunity" among Ohio Republicans. He pointed out in a statement that Portman has endorsed Trump, while Kasich still is declining to endorse the presumptive nominee, despite the pledge he and other GOP candidates signed.

While the Kasich team's general aversion to Trump is well-documented, Polesovsky and Kaiser acknowledge their efforts to support Portman may also benefit Trump.

"This came out of, 'Let's find a way to be creative to help the ticket and bring it along,' " Polesovsky said. "Helping Portman helps Trump."

As a PAC, Eyes on Ohio can raise money without contribution limits, but won't be allowed to coordinate with any candidate.