Kasich: People are not happy with GOP being ‘small, angry and narrow’

Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) said on Sunday that the Republican Party is “losing the future” by turning off millennials. 

“I look at Alabama and I say people are not happy with us being small, angry and narrow,” Kasich said on NBC News’s “Meet the Press,” referring to last week’s special Senate election. “They’re starting to say no. That means that most of us who believe in a positive party are beginning to win, but we have a long way to go.” 

The Ohio governor also cited stances on various issues, such as immigration, health care and trade, that he said could hinder the GOP in the future. 

{mosads}”Instead of losing the future, which is what we’re doing today by turning off millennials,” Kasich said.  

“We’re beginning to see more of a tug of war pulling people toward a better position on the party. That’s my sense, so I’m kind of optimistic with some of the things,” he said.

Kasich’s comments come as the GOP looks to defend Republican strongholds in the House and Senate, as well as in statehouses across the country, in 2018. 

The anti-establishment wing of the GOP suffered a blow last week when Doug Jones became the first Democrat elected to represent Alabama in the Senate in 25 years. 

While establishment Republicans such as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) supported Moore’s primary opponent, Sen. Luther Strange (R-Ala.), President Trump and his former chief strategist, Stephen Bannon, rallied around Republican Roy Moore, who was plagued by sexual misconduct allegations. 

Kasich, who has proven to be a thorn in the Trump administration’s side, has been mentioned as possible 2020 presidential contender. He ran an unsuccessful bid in 2016.