Ohio Gov. John Kasich speaks at the First in the Nation Republican Leadership Summit on April 18, 2015, in Nashua, New Hampshire. The summit was attended by all the 2016 Republican candidates as well as those eying a run for the nomination. Click through for more on the political career of Kasich:
Ohio Gov. John Kasich speaks at the First in the Nation Republican Leadership Summit on April 18, 2015, in Nashua, New Hampshire. The summit was attended by all the 2016 Republican candidates as well as those eying a run for the nomination. Click through for more on the political career of Kasich:
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Kasich speaks during the Republican National Convention at the Tampa Bay Times Forum on August 28, 2012, in Florida.
Kasich speaks during the Republican National Convention at the Tampa Bay Times Forum on August 28, 2012, in Florida.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Kasich, left, and then-Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney talk with students during a roundtable discussion at Otterbein University on April 27, 2012 in Westerville, Ohio. Romney eventually won the 2012 GOP presidential nomination.
Kasich, left, and then-Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney talk with students during a roundtable discussion at Otterbein University on April 27, 2012 in Westerville, Ohio. Romney eventually won the 2012 GOP presidential nomination.
Jay LaPrete/Getty Images
Kasich, left, President Barack Obama, center, and Republican House Speaker John Boehner play the first hole of a golf game on June 18, 2011, at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland.
Kasich, left, President Barack Obama, center, and Republican House Speaker John Boehner play the first hole of a golf game on June 18, 2011, at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland.
MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images
Kasich listens to Obama speak during a bipartisan meeting of governors hosted by the President and Vice President Joe Biden in the State Dining Room of the White House on February 28, 2010.
Kasich listens to Obama speak during a bipartisan meeting of governors hosted by the President and Vice President Joe Biden in the State Dining Room of the White House on February 28, 2010.
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Before officially taking office as governor of Ohio, Kasich talks with reporters after meeting with House and Senate Republican leaders at the U.S. Capitol on December 1, 2010. The GOP leaders talked about ways to create jobs, cut spending and repeal the health care law.
Before officially taking office as governor of Ohio, Kasich talks with reporters after meeting with House and Senate Republican leaders at the U.S. Capitol on December 1, 2010. The GOP leaders talked about ways to create jobs, cut spending and repeal the health care law.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Kasich, right, then a member of the U.S. House, sports "Bush" baseball caps with Texas Gov. George W. Bush on July 14, 1999. The two lawmakers held a news conference at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center in Washington during Bush's presidential run. Kasich had previously announced that he was withdrawing from the 2000 presidential race and endorsed Bush.
Kasich, right, then a member of the U.S. House, sports "Bush" baseball caps with Texas Gov. George W. Bush on July 14, 1999. The two lawmakers held a news conference at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center in Washington during Bush's presidential run. Kasich had previously announced that he was withdrawing from the 2000 presidential race and endorsed Bush.
WILLIAM PHILPOTT/AFP/Getty Images
U.S. Rep. Kasich delivers a speech in the Watergate complex in Washington on July 9, 1999, during the College Republican National Committee 53rd Biennial Convention. Other speakers included Republican 2000 presidential hopefuls such as Gary Bauer and Elizabeth Dole.
U.S. Rep. Kasich delivers a speech in the Watergate complex in Washington on July 9, 1999, during the College Republican National Committee 53rd Biennial Convention. Other speakers included Republican 2000 presidential hopefuls such as Gary Bauer and Elizabeth Dole.
PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images
During a U.S. government shutdown, Kasich, left, and Sen. Pete Domenici, R-New Mexico, speak to reporters outside the White House on January 6, 1996.
During a U.S. government shutdown, Kasich, left, and Sen. Pete Domenici, R-New Mexico, speak to reporters outside the White House on January 6, 1996.
JOYCE NALTCHAYAN/AFP/Getty Images
Kasich shows a videotape of President Bill Clinton speaking during a news conference on Capitol Hill on December 16, 1995. Kasich was chairman of the House Budget Committee at the time and disputed Clinton's position on the budget.
Kasich shows a videotape of President Bill Clinton speaking during a news conference on Capitol Hill on December 16, 1995. Kasich was chairman of the House Budget Committee at the time and disputed Clinton's position on the budget.
PAMELA PRICE/AFP/Getty Images
Kasich, center, shows a thank you note in the form of a check to Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, left, and Senate Majority Leader Robert Dole (right) on November 17, 1995, in Washington. They were soon engaged in bruising battles with President Bill Clinton over the federal budget.
Kasich, center, shows a thank you note in the form of a check to Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, left, and Senate Majority Leader Robert Dole (right) on November 17, 1995, in Washington. They were soon engaged in bruising battles with President Bill Clinton over the federal budget.
RICHARD ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images
John Kasich's political career
Washington CNN  — 

John Kasich said he was just being honest – not taking a shot at Jeb Bush – when he told a New Hampshire crowd on Thursday that he only got serious about running for president only after seeing the former Florida governor was vulnerable.

“Frankly, I thought that Jeb was going to just suck all the air out of the room and it just hasn’t happened,” the Ohio Republican governor said.

He quickly added: “No hit on Jeb – not hit on you, Jeb!”

Kasich said he didn’t think he’d be in New Hampshire during the 2016 presidential cycle, but is now more positive about his chances of winning the GOP nomination.

RELATED: Jeb Bush to announce candidacy June 15

“I started going around and people started responding,” he said. “It’s got to be real, I have to win, and we have a disciplined process of determining whether we have resources and organization to do it.”

According to Kasich, former Sen. John Sununu, who has signed on to help his team, thinks the race is wide open.

“They’ve never seen it like this before,” he said of the wide-open race. “If it was (just) my opinion it’d be one thing, but when Sununu has an opinion like that … the senator knows what hes talking about.”

Kasich also said taking shots at Hillary Clinton, the leading Democratic candidate, will not be the way to win this election for Republicans. Instead, he said, campaigns should focus on how the country is slipping.

Kasich’s comments come the day the Bush campaign revealed that the former Florida governor will announce his entrance into the presidential race on June 15.