John Kasich Presidential Announcement: Ohio Governor Joins Crowded GOP Race For Nomination

Ohio Gov. John Kasich late Tuesday morning formally announced his campaign to run for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination during a rally in Columbus at his alma mater, Ohio State University. He joined an already crowded GOP field, becoming the 16th major Republican to enter the race.

Recent polling had mogul Donald Trump ahead by a double-digit lead. A Washington Post-ABC News poll published Sunday reported that Trump was leading other GOP candidates with support from 24 percent of registered Republicans and Republican-leaning voters. Kasich had support from just 2 percent, placing him behind Chris Christie but ahead of Rick Santorum.

Kasich, 63, a former congressman, served as the House Budget Committee chairman and helped balance the federal budget during President Bill Clinton's administration. So it seems no surprise that he has begun to build his campaign around economic issues.

Though Kasich is seen as a moderate in some respects, such as supporting President Barack Obama's healthcare initiatives, he is staunchly conservative when it comes to female reproductive rights. During his time as governor, Kasich has signed 11 bills into law that greatly reduce women's access to abortions, Mother Jones reported.

On Monday, Kasich handed over his Twitter account to a "Kasich for America" team and posted this photo on his verified account:

Kasich has highlighted his experience with financial planning and said economic growth would be his main priority as president. At an event in July, Kasich gave his three most pressing needs for the U.S. “One, we’ve got to have strong economic growth. Two, we’ve got to make sure we have a strong military. And three, we’ve got to recognize the dignity of every man and woman in this country and give everybody a sense that they can rise and be part of a growing, stronger, prosperous America,” the New York Times reported.