Ohio Republican Governor Kasich re-elected, CNN projects

Ohio Governor John Kasich speaks at a luncheon during the Republican Jewish Coalition Spring Leadership Meeting at the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada in this file photo from March 29, 2014. REUTERS/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus/Files

(Reuters) - Ohio Republican Governor John Kasich has won re-election, CNN projected on Tuesday, beating Democratic challenger Ed FitzGerald in the electoral swing state. Kasich, 62, was first elected in 2010 and suffered low approval ratings early in his term, but his popularity improved along with the state’s economy. He was previously a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, and briefly pursued a 2000 presidential campaign. (Reporting by Susan Cornwell, Amanda Becker and Julia Edwards in Washington; Editing by Peter Cooney)