NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley: 'Right Now I Like John Kasich'

NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley says he's "studying" Republican John Kasich – and would probably pull the lever for the Ohio governor as president "if I had to vote today."

In an interview with ESPN's "Mike & Mike Show" Wednesday, Barkley conceded he usually votes Democrat, "but there's not a Democrat in the race that I like."

"I would like to see [U.S. Sen.] Elizabeth Warren or the [former] mayor of San Antonio. Those are the only two Democrats that I would vote for," he said, forgetting what the mayor's name is.

The ESPN hosts helpfully supplied the name of Julian Castro, now the secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Cleveland.com reports.

But, Barkley added, "Right now I like John Kasich, the governor of Ohio."

"He's the only person that I'm really paying attention to right now, to be honest with you," he said. "Like I say, I prefer to vote Democratic. But I have really been considering looking at a Republican, and right now I've been studying John Kasich."

"If I had to vote today, I would probably vote for John Kasich."

Barkley, now a basketball analyst for Turner Sports on TNT, told Sports Illustrated in February he was leaning toward New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Jeb Bush. "I like those guys," he said.

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