On Wednesday, the Ohio Chamber of Commerce Political Action Committee (OCCPaC) endorsed Gov. John Kasich and Lt. Governor Mary Taylor for re-election. It was only the second time in the 120 year history of the Ohio Chamber that an endorsement was made in a race for governor. The first came four years ago, when OCCPaC took the unprecedented step of endorsing then-challenger Kasich. It was a major boon for the Kasich campaign at the time, as the race was ultimately decided by a mere 77,000 votes (out of nearly 4 million cast).

Since Gov. Kasich and Lt. Gov. Taylor took office in 2011, a lot has gotten done. From closing an $8 billion budget gap without raising taxes, to restoring the rainy day fund from 89 cents to $1.5 billion, the state is in a much healthier financial situation today. JobsOhio has brought an innovative approach to boosting economic development, and the Common Sense Initiative has gone a long way to cut red tape and create a better business climate for Ohio’s employers. Overall, nearly 250,000 new jobs have been created in our state since early 2011. While the legislature deserves credit as well, there is no doubt that Gov. Kasich’s leadership is the linchpin to Ohio’s successful turnaround.

The troubles of the FitzGerald campaign may make this race non-competitive, but at the end of the day it wouldn’t matter who challenged the governor. When Ohioans are asked if they are better off than they were four years ago, I think the answer is a resounding yes. The last four years have undoubtedly been a success, and he has earned re-election.

On to November…FOUR MORE YEARS!