US election 2016: Ohio Governor John Kasich's presidential bid comes down to money

It appears the Republican presidential field is about to become slightly more crowded. Ohio Governor John Kasich said on 1 May that his 2016 presidential bid depends on whether he can raise enough donations for his campaign.

According to Reuters, the 62-year-old could prove to be a "potentially potent force" among GOP contenders since he represents such an important swing state in the presidential elections. However, Kasich also runs the risk of getting lost among the several Republicans already running or planning to run.

Kasich met with reporters over lunch on Friday, The Christian Science Monitor reported. The governor said he had "a good resume, not just saying, but accomplishing." However, he noted that 2016 depends solely on if he can raise the necessary funds.

"I'm going to determine whether I'll have the resources to win," Kasich said. "If I don't have the resources and I can't see a path to victory, I'm not going to do that."

"I think we are at this point optimistic that we'll have the resources to move forward," Kasich told reporters at the luncheon hosted by The Christian Science Monitor. The Ohio governor last run for president in 2000, but his campaign did not get very far and he dropped out of the race early.

Reuters reported that Kasich, a fiscal conservative with independent tendencies, has drawn criticism from conservatives for his decision to expand Medicare in Ohio through President Obama's 2010 healthcare law. The governor has defended his decision, claiming the money is used to treat 1,000 mentally ill inmates in Ohio prisons.

"Here's what I'm faced with. I've got money I can bring home to Ohio," he said. "It's not Washington's. It's the money that belongs to the people of our state."

Kasich also opposes the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, which puts him in line with Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.

However, Kasich has said that there needs to be "healing" between Republicans and Democrats in Washington. "America's inability to solve problems makes us weaker," he said. "It hurts our kids and our families, and it also sends a message around the world that America is losing its strength."