John Kasich (R)
John Kasich receives an overall grade of: B+
John Kasich receives a grade of 
on the issue of Official English.
John Kasich is the only candidate to have cosponsored and voted in favor of an Official English bill in Congress. On March 25, 1999, in the 106th Congress, John Kasich signed on as one of 138 cosponsors to the Bill Emerson English Language Empowerment Act of 1999 (H.R. 123). Kasich was among the 166 cosponsors to the same ELEA bill (H.R. 123) in the 105th Congress. Most significantly, Kasich was one of 197 cosponsors of the same ELEA bill (H.R. 123) in 1996 that passed the House in the 104th Congress by a vote of 259 to 169, with 5 not voting. Kasich was among the 259 voting in favor of official English. The English Language Empowerment Act bills that Kasich cosponsored were the forerunners of today’s English Language Unity Act (H.R. 997) that would make English the official language of government, establish a uniform standard of English testing for newly-naturalized citizens, protect English in the workplace, and foster patriotic assimilation of newly naturalized citizens.
John Kasich receives a grade of N/A on the issue of Bilingual Ballots.
In 2014, Kasich signed into law a measure that eliminated the so-called “Golden Week” in Ohio that allowed voters to register and vote on the same day, eliminated voting on Sundays, and stopped the Ohio secretary of state from automatically mailing an absentee ballot to every registered voter. The measure was designed by lawmakers to ensure ballot integrity and cut down on the greatest sources of voter fraud, while leaving an ample 27 days of voting in Ohio. Kasich did not, however, take any steps to eliminate bilingual ballots, in spite of the fact that newly naturalized citizens are required to pass an English proficiency test and therefore should have the capacity to read a ballot.
John Kasich receives a grade of 
on the issue of English-in-the-Workplace.
In the 103rd Congress 1986, Kasich was one of eight original sponsors among 55 cosponsors of a bill (H.R. 124) that would have provided a tax credit to offset the cost to employers of providing English training for employees with limited proficiency. However, the Kasich for President campaign has not taken a position on the issue of the right of employers to require employees to speak English on the job for all things work-related, such as business transactions, customer interactions, company communications, and meetings.
John Kasich receives a grade of 
on the issue of Puerto Rican Statehood.
At the end of December 2015, Kasich announced that Jorge L. San Miguel would be the chair of his Puerto Rico team. Miguel is the Vice President of the Puerto Rico Republican Party, the party that vigorously advocates for statehood in opposition to Puerto Rico’s Democratic Party. Kasich, in praising Miguel, directly stated that he supports statehood after a referendum: “He [Miguel] brings a wealth of experience that will inform our efforts as we carry our message to Puerto Rican voters. I look forward to hearing his insights in order to move the ball forward on statehood for Puerto Rico, should the majority of Puerto Ricans choose this option, and resolve the status issue.” In advocating for statehood, Kasich did not advocate for making English the official language of the island. Earlier in the year, Kasich had been evasive on the issue of statehood, indicating only that he would need to look into spending reform before he would consider extending Chapter 9 bankruptcy protections to Puerto Rico’s central and municipal governments, and public corporations.
John Kasich receives a grade of on the issue of Multiculturalism & Assimilation.
Kasich’s overall campaign narrative often includes stories of his legal immigrant relatives, most notably his grandmother who knew no English and lived a hard-scrabble life, who assimilated and were born up by their faith as they made continuous sacrifices in order to achieve the American dream for the next generation. Kasich goes beyond merely opposing multiculturalism by upholding the universal principles of his Christian faith. He is willing to call terrorism and Jihadism “evil,” and not merely different but morally equivalent expressions of culture. Kasich’s campaign platform states, “The November 13, 2015 attacks on Paris illuminated the enormous chasm between the worldview of civilized people and the worldview of the terrorists who committed these acts of terror. There is no negotiating with this kind of darkness—we must overcome it. Unless we get serious about defeating the evil we witnessed in Paris, we leave the door open to similar attacks in our own cities. … Bullets may win battles, but ideas win wars. It is not enough to defeat terrorists and stand-down regional bullies. We must reassert our Western values of democracy, human rights, and individual freedom if we hope to secure the long-term stability of America and preserve our way of life.”
John Kasich receives a grade of on the issue of Amnesty.
John Kasich voted for Reagan’s amnesty compromise for three million illegal immigrants in 1986. Unlike 2013’s Gang of Eight Immigration Reform bill, Reagan’s amnesty required that applicants first meet with an INS agent to demonstrate English proficiency.
Kasich’s 2016 campaign agenda includes increased border security, workplace enforcement, and an entry/exit system. But Kasich has also advocated for a pathway to legal status for the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants currently residing in the country—without any indication of an English proficiency requirement.
The Wall Street Journal has issued three articles elaborating upon Kasich’s advocacy for a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants. In August of 2015, Kasich stated on CNN that “The 12 million who are here, we ought to find out who they are.” Kasich continued, “If they’ve been law-abiding over a period of time they ought to be legalized and they ought to be able to stay here. There are people who contribute a lot to the U.S.” At a campaign stop in November of 2015, Kasich stated “The idea that we are going to ship 11 million people out of this country and go into neighborhoods and round them up is simply not practical.” Kasich continued, “I just think the practical solution is that if they haven’t violated the law, they have a path to legalization.”
Kasich’s most public defense of amnesty came in an exchange with Trump at November’s Republican Presidential debate in Milwaukee. When Trump advocated against extending amnesty to the estimated 11 million illegal aliens currently residing in the country, Kasich replied by stating his preferences for increased border security, building a wall, deporting criminals, and an entry/exit system. Kasich then shot back with a vigorous defense of a pathway to legalization as the adult thing to do for the 11 million illegal aliens and their families. But made no mention of an English requirement in his policy prescriptions for immigration reform.