Tommy Thompson warms up crowd for John Kasich in West Salem

Kasich first of three presidential
nominees to visit area this week

Hillary Clinton returns to La Crosse for the first time in about two decades today leading the Democratic presidential nomination race by just 230 delegates. 

And plenty of Americans want to be sure Clinton doesn’t become president. One of the more well-known Republicans who wants to stop Hillary is former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson.

“Even the Democrats don’t like Hillary and don’t trust her,” Thompson screamed Monday introducing presidential nominee John Kasich at a campaign rally in West Salem, Wis., as the crowd laughed. “Can you imagine being defeated by a 74-year-old socialist who went to Moscow for his honeymoon.

“Now if that’s the kind of person that’s going to lead our country, we’re in deep trouble.”

Kasich was the first candidate to appear in the La Crosse area this primary season. Clinton will stop at 1:30 p.m. today at Western Technical College, while Sanders is set to speak at the OmniCenter in Onalaska, Wis., at 4 p.m. Wednesday in lieu of Wisconsin’s April 5 primary.

During Thompson’s introduction, he touted the Ohio governor’s vast experience in government.  

Thompson also talked of how election time is a “fun time” when Americans get to choose their president, but he wants to be sure that Republicans pick a nominee who can win in November.

Recent polls put Kasich about 10 points behind Donald Trump in Wisconsin and 15 points behind Ted Cruz.  

“Then they say, ‘Oh, but if you vote for (Kasich), you’re going to help Donald Trump,” Thompson hollered. “Hogwash ladies and gentlemen. What you’re going to do, is you are going to elect somebody that can beat Hillary. Why screw around and just win the nomination. I want to win the presidency!”

Kasich, himself, said the polls show him as the only Republican who places ahead of Clinton. In an average of Kasich vs. Clinton poll from the RealClearPolitics website, Kasich leads by 6.5 points.

Kasich vs. Sanders, however, is a much closer battle. One won by Sanders by a 1-point average – and as high as six points in the five-poll average, that does have Kasich ahead in three.

Of course, a Trump vs. Sanders poll has Sanders on top by an average of 17.5, whereas Clinton beats Trump by an average of 11.5.