CLEVELAND (AP) – Donald Trump’s top campaign adviser accused Ohio Gov. John Kasich of “embarrassing” his home state by avoiding the Republican convention, opening the gathering with a stark display of party disunity.
“John Kasich is being petulant,” Manafort told reporters Monday morning at a Bloomberg breakfast.
Manafort also drew Ohio Republican Sen. Rob Portman into the dispute, saying Portman is “very upset” with Kasich and believes the governor’s lack of support for Trump is hurting his own re-election campaign. Portman is locked in one of the year’s toughest Senate races and is grappling with how closely to align himself with his party’s presidential nominee.
Portman’s campaign quickly disputed the idea of a rift between the Ohio senator and governor, who are longtime friends and colleagues.
“That’s totally false,” said Corry Bliss, Portman’s campaign manager. He added that Portman and Kasich are “working hand in hand” on the senator’s campaign and “any suggestion otherwise is inaccurate.”