If you’ve been following the political spectacle that we are coming to know as election season, then you know the field of candidates shrunk once again last week as Martin O’Malley (former Democratic Governor of Maryland), former Governor Mike Huckabee, and perhaps most notably Senator Rand Paul (who came in fifth in Iowa), have all exited the race for the White House. With the vote in New Hampshire looming, many are wondering where to turn their support. O’Malley and Huckabee had a limited number of support nationwide, so their exit will impact the election very little; however, Paul was polling around 5% in New Hampshire before his sudden exit. In a crowded field of GOP candidates the splitting of that 5% could make a dramatic difference in the primary nomination. Senator Ted Cruz seems to be the obvious choice for many of those who supported Paul, but that may only be on the surface. Cruz left the Senator from Kentucky alone on the floor of the Senate when Paul’s “Audit the Fed” bill came to pass, which left a bad taste in many of Senator Paul’s supporters. Ron Paul has also warned voters across America to steer clear of Senator Cruz as well, this warning holds a great deal of weight as libertarians that supported Ron Paul’s son look for direction. So if Ted Cruz is out of speculation, where does that 5% turn?

I believe John Kasich, Governor of Ohio, is the next logical choose to receive Senator Paul’s supporters. At the debate in New Hampshire Saturday night Kasich was clear and concise with his responses. Kasich had seemed flustered and easily frustrated in previous debates, but this time around he seemed to be pouncing on an opportunity to collect Rand Paul’s support. He denounced “party loyalists” saying that America should come first, and held a firm “lock the doors” stance on immigration without alienating the immigrant voters. He gave the most logical and thoughtful performance in Saturday’s debate, and it could not have come at a better time for the governor. With the narrowing of the political field, many Republicans were watching Saturday night to find a suitable candidate to support, and Governor Kasich made his presence known. For the first time in a year Kasich proved he belonged on the big stage, and Rand Paul’s exit could give his candidacy a breath of fresh air. Of course this is impossible to predict, as voters change their mind frequently as candidates shift stances throughout the election season, but Governor Kasich made a logical argument on Saturday that he can handle the pressure of the White House. If he can get past the stigma of low name recognition, he may be well on his way to running a meaningful campaign. If there was ever a time to go on the offensive and make a run for the nomination now would be that time, and Governor Kasich seems strategically prepared for this final sprint through primary season.