Ohio Gov. John Kasich isn't ruling out voting for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, though he says it's "highly unlikely" he'll support his former rival.
"I'll let everybody know when, but I think my actions have spoken very loudly, louder than even my words," Kasich told CNN's Dana Bash in an interview broadcast Friday on "New Day."
The former Republican presidential candidate indicated he won't vote for Democrat Hillary Clinton and hasn't considered voting for Libertarian Gary Johnson.
"So is it still possible that you could vote for Donald Trump?" Bash pressed.
"Very unlikely," Kasich responded, adding, "Too much water under the bridge."
And if Trump wins?
"Well, we'll see what happens if that happens," Kasich said. "Whoever is the president, if I can do something to help them in a constructive way, and something I agree on, absolutely."
Kasich has been one of a few former Trump rivals to withhold their endorsement, despite an earlier pledge to back the eventual nominee. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush have both also refused to get behind New York real estate mogul.
On Thursday, news emerged that President Obama had enlisted the Ohio governor to make a final push for his stalled Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal.
Kasich will attend a bipartisan meeting Friday at the White House aimed at touting the benefits of the Pacific Rim trade agreement before later appearing at the White House daily briefing.
"Frankly, I welcome it," Kasich said of backlash to his decision to join the effort, speaking of putting the country over the party.
And while he's not pushing Trump in Ohio, a swing state where polling this week has indicated a tight race, Kasich said he would try to get Republicans to the polls in general.
"We're going to go help people get the vote out, obviously," Kasich said. "Get Republicans out to vote, period."
"We want to reelect Sen. [Rob] Portman, and we want to reelect people down-ticket," he said.
A top aide for John Kasich slammed Republican National Committee (RNC) chairman Reince Priebus for saying that former candidates who don’t support Donald Trump could be penalized in some way.
Priebus said Sunday that former candidates who have refused to back Trump despite signing a pledge during the primaries "need to get on board" and that the RNC will look into potential penalties for withholding support.
“The idea of a greater purpose beyond oneself may be alien to political party bosses like Reince Priebus, but it is at the center of everything Governor Kasich does. He will not be bullied by a Kenosha political operative that is unable to stand up for core principles or beliefs," John Weaver, a top aide for Kasich said in a statement.
“In fact, Reince should be thanking the Governor for standing for an inclusive, conservative vision that can actually win a national election and improve our country. The Governor is traveling the nation supporting down ballot Republicans and preventing a potential national wipeout from occurring on Reince’s watch."
Kaisch, along with former GOP candidates Ted Cruz and Jeb Bush, have refused to support Trump.
