John Kasich to Electoral College: 'I Am Not a Candidate'

Ohio Gov. John Kasich has once again found himself at the center of a strange political world. A collection of electors from Washington and Colorado, known as the Hamilton Electors, are attempting to sway 37 Republicans in the Electoral College to cast their ballot for him on Dec. 19, thus relinquishing Donald Trump's presidential victory.

Politico reported that the group sees Kasich as the most likely compromise candidate to sway Republican voters. Kasich responded by releasing a strongly worded statement reminding the Electoral College that he is not a candidate for president and urging the group to vote for President-elect Trump.

"Our country had an election and Donald Trump won," Kasich said in the statement. "The country is divided and there are certainly raw emotions on both sides stemming from the election. But this approach, as well meaning as it is, will only serve to further divide our nation, when unity is needed."

Trump leads Democrat Hillary Clinton in the Electoral College by a count of 306-270.

Over the past couple of weeks, some electors have come out and said they do not intend to vote for Trump. That includes two Texans, Christopher Surpun and Art Sisneros. Sisneros quit his position in the Electoral College to avoid casting his ballot.

The Hamilton Electors claim to have convinced at least one elector to switch their vote, but they're staying mum on who that person is, according to The Hill.

The group likely selected Kasich for two reasons: He's a moderate Republican who has shown the ability to compromise with Democrats, and his public spat with the president-elect. In the run-up to the election, Kasich called Trump's rhetoric "silly," and the two candidates' blood feud spilled into a borderline civil war in the Ohio GOP.

Still, Kasich has publicly stated his lack of interest in continuing the battle with Trump. Though that may be because of the desperate nature of the Hamilton Group's gambit.

The Electoral College has never rebuked the public's vote for a president. The Hamilton Group is arguing that the circumstances of this election consitute an "emergency" and dictate the use of a failsafe, in this case, the going against the public vote and selecting a different president. However, if they were hoping for an endorsement from Kasich, or even complicit silence, they have gotten neither.

"The election is over," Kasich said. "Now is the time for all of us to come together as Americans."

You can see Kasich's full statement and a video explaining the Hamilton Electors below:

Hamilton Electors video:

Photo from Gov. Kasich's Office