When it came time for his 2012 State of the State address Ohio Governor John Kasich decided the legislature could use a little fresh air and opted to take the annual address on the road and so Steubenville was chosen. It was a move that didn't sit well with some lawmakers.
"You know most people that are down there in that legislature want it to stay in the legislature," Kasich said of the pushback. "It's always kind of tug of war to be able to get us to travel."
As he prepares to host his final address on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. Kasich said it didn't take him long to know he'd made the right decision.
"They put out a special edition of the newspaper and there were signs all over the streets and people were genuinely really excited. It's one that proved to me that this was a good idea," Kasich said.
In 2013 he would travel to Lima followed by Medina, Wilmington, Marietta and last year in Sandusky. When it came time to select 2018's location Kasich said it was an easy decision, his hometown of Westerville.
"It's my last year, it's my hometown, I've been there a long, long time and we've traveled all over the state and I just thought it was really a cool idea to be in my own home and I'm excited about it," he said before adding with a laugh. "I hope the people of Westerville are excited about it."
The day is about more than the speech itself, it's about introducing legislators from different parts of the state to other parts they're not maybe familiar with and that goes for the cabinet as well.
"I don't know whether governors in the future will do this," Kasich said. "But I think taking the government out and doing these things in different communities, you know we were in Sandusky last year, people up there loved it, you get to see things the legislature gets up there, I just think it's nothing but good."
