John Kasich Still Isn't Good For Women, Even If He's More Progressive Than Trump & Cruz

If you asked people six months ago — a year ago — what they thought about Donald Trump’s presidential bid, you probably didn’t hear much: maybe some chuckles and laughter. Perhaps an “it’s something. He’ll never get the nomination, but it’s something.” (Well, at least that is what I — a liberal-minded feminist — heard.) I have to wonder, though, is anyone still laughing? After winning the New Hampshire primary Tuesday evening, it isn't a joke anymore. Trump came in first place — beating out Ohio Gov. John Kasich by 20 points. But is Kasich a better option than Trump? Is his second-place victory a “good thing?”

Maybe... but probably not. Kasich is more open-minded than many of his conservative counterparts, but he also has a sordid voting record. He voted to defund Planned Parenthood numerous times, he once said it is admirable when cancer-stricken pregnant women forgo medical treatment to protect their unborn babies, and he said abortion should be illegal, except “in cases of rape, incest, or when the life of the mother is in danger,” according to OnTheIssues.com. Additionally, in 2011, Kasich signed a bill banning abortions after 20 weeks if the fetus was determined to be viable with no exceptions, according to The Huffington Post. (And this is just one of 16 — 16! — anti-abortion laws he has passed since 2011; so color me confused.)

The good news, if one can call it that, is Kasich isn’t the “worst” Republican possibility. He acknowledged that climate change is a problem, he said he is open to considering Obama's immigration plan, and while Kasich believes in “traditional” marriage, he also said he will not fight marriage equality, according to the New York Times. In fact, during the August 6 GOP debate, Kasich said:

[Just] because somebody doesn't think the way I do, doesn't mean that I can't care about them or can't love them.

However, while Kasich’s more progressive thinking may make him a better option than Trump — because, well, who doesn't look reasonable when pitted against the business mogul — that doesn’t mean he is a “good” option, especially for women who believe in their rights, their bodies, and choice. And many Twitter users agree:

So if Kasich doesn't believe in a woman's right to choose — if Kasich doesn't want women to want women to choose, or believe women can choose — than I'm going to choose not to vote for Kasich in 2016, or ever.