John Kasich Says He's 'Very Seriously' Considering Challenging Trump In 2020

Outgoing Ohio Gov. John Kasich  on Sunday acknowledged he’s “very seriously” considering a White House bid in 2020 against President Donald Trump .

The Republican leader, a two-time presidential candidate, told ABC’s “This Week” that he’s been discussing the possibility of challenging Trump for the GOP nomination “virtually every day” with friends and family.

“Look, we need different leadership there isn’t any question about it,” Kasich said. “I’m worried about our country and not just in the short-term, but I’m worried about our country in the long-term.”

Kasich was one of Trump’s main rivals in the 2016 Republican primaries and since then has emerged as one of the president’s most vocal critics within the GOP.

In his Sunday comments, Kasich pointed to Trump’s “tone” and lax stance on Saudi Arabia, as well as differences with him on immigration policy and concerns about the country’s rising debt, as some of the reasons motivating him to consider a 2020 run.

“The question for me is, what do I do about this?” said Kasich, whose term as Ohio governor ends in January. “Do I run because I’ve determined that I can win? Or is it important for me to make such a good showing that I can send a message that can disrupt the political system in this country? So yeah, I have to think about it.”

“Let’s be clear: I’m not being coy,” he added. “I’m [not] just trying to do this for some kind of a game. This is really, really serious to me.”

A former House member from Ohio known as a fiscal conservative, Kasich briefly entered the race for the 2000 GOP presidential nod. He dropped out before a single vote had been cast in a nomination contest due to poor fundraising numbers.

He hosted a show on Fox News , “Heartland with John Kasich,” from 2001-07, and was first elected Ohio’s governor in 2010.