Kasich focusing on track record, Democrats not impressed

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The Republican debate is all the talk in Detroit but it's not the only campaign event in town. Ohio Governor John Kasich spent his morning and afternoon campaigning while Democrats are already prepping their response.

Kasich met with the media on Thursday, ahead of the debate at the Fox Theatre, and says the only way to beat Donald Trump is not to play his game.

"You don't beat Trump by personal attacks. The guy in Chickapee is not interested in name calling. The guy in Chickapee is interested in what's going to happen in his kid getting a job and is he going to have a job, and are we going to get better trade deals. That's what he's interested about," Kasich said. He also said he's focusing on the work he has done in Ohio. "Everybody said you can't, his ideas are crazy. There's no way you can balance a budget and cut taxes. That won't work. So not only are we up to four hundred thousand jobs, and we have a long way to go. Ohio is not fixed. Ohio is improving."

So does that make Kasich a better option? Paul Kanan at the Michigan Democratic Party says not necessarily.

"I think he's just the same as Trump, Rubio or Cruz, but just in a toned down package," Kasich said.

Kanan said he's expecting more of the same at Thursday's debate: a whole lot of fighting.

"[I expect more] mud slinging at each other; which one is more or less of a man than the other and attacking the policies of President Obama rolling back the progress we have made," Kanan said.

So, while Kasich may be more controlled than the others, Kanan said he's still not a good choice.

"But just because he's not as loud as the others doesn't make mean his approach or his policies wouldn't be as harmful," he said.

As for Kasich, he's spending energy trying to gain momentum in the Mitten and knows that he must win his home state.

"We're going to all out to win Ohio," Kasich said. "I'm going to do everything I can do, and our folks are going to do everything they can do. as you all know, I don't usually make predictions, but I'm going to make a prediction. I'm going to win Ohio."

Kasich's prediction needs to come true or his campaign would run out of steam. Even if he were to take out Rubio and Cruz, he still has Donald J. Trump to contend with for nominee.