John Kasich Says He Won’t Run As a Third-Party Candidate

John Kasich said Monday he has no plans to run as a third-party candidate, putting an end to speculation that the former Republican candidate would re-enter the race.

In his first interview since dropping out of the race May 4, Kasich told CNN’s Anderson Cooper that he has no interest in running again for the presidency. “I’m not gonna do that,” the Ohio governor said. “I gave it my best where I am. I just think running third-party doesn’t feel right. I think it’s not constructive.”

The governor acknowledged that he had been asked to mount a third-party run after Donald Trump became the presumptive Republican nominee, but declined. “A third-party candidacy would be viewed as kind of a silly thing,” he said. “And I don’t think it’s appropriate. I just don’t think it would be the right thing to do.”