Republican presidential candidate John Kasich is putting a lot of effort into Massachusetts before Super Tuesday, where he picked up a big endorsement from former Gov. William Weld.
Wednesday, Weld told necn what appeals to him about Kasich and what he thinks of the front-runner in the state, Donald Trump.
"This is a guy who really could start Monday as president of the United States without a learning curve," Weld said. "He was the chairman of the budget committee because he was known as such a budgetary wizard. And he's got a tremendous national security record because he was on Armed Services for 18 years."
Weld, who said he has known Kasich for a long time and worked closely with him in the 1990s, said he could do well in the Bay State.
"I think he could win it, yeah. It'll take a little movement," he said.
Weld rejects the call by some Republicans for Kasich to get out of the race in an attempt to consolidate the anti-Trump vote.
So what does the former governor think of Trump?
Massachusetts
The latest news from around the state
"He's pretty entertaining. I've known him a reasonably well socially in New York," Weld said, adding that it was "too soon to tell" whether he would be a disaster as president.
Many establishment Republicans point to Trump's divisive, sometimes profane language and so-called bully tactics on the campaign trail as reasons why Trump should not be the party nominee.
"I do think he's got plenty of gravitas, but there may be a question about 'dignitas,'" Weld said, affirming that he's not dramatically opposed to Trump. "I think things are settling down. And we're going to have to see. I mean, I'm with Kasich."
