Meet Jim Casha, a local man running for U.S. Congress
A man in Tillsonburg is on the campaign trail less than a month out from election day.
There's no local vote though, he's actually running for U.S. Congress.
“My name is Jim Casha, and I'm running for U.S. Congress in Michigan's District 8.”
Casha, a nearly 30-year resident of Oxford County, is vying for an office in the most powerful country on earth.
You may be asking yourself how it’s possible Casha is qualified to run in this election.
As you might have guessed, he is a U.S. citizen by birth.
But as a permanent resident of Canada, it was a challenge getting elections officials to put him on the ticket.
“They said I couldn't run, and I said, ’Yes, I can!’ And then they were the ones who orchestrated the call to the state of Michigan. And a few minutes later, the state called down there and told them, ‘Yeah, he can run,’” Casha explained.
Jim Casha in Tillsonburg Ont. Thursday, October 10, 2024. (Sean Irvine/CTV News London)
Believe it or not, this is Casha’s third election.
He admitted his first time out in 2010 was not exactly stellar.
“I got one vote, and I couldn't vote for myself because I didn't live in Michigan,” he said. But in 2014, a lot more people backed him, “I got 1,880 votes.”
This time around, Casha is on the ballot as a Green Party candidate.
While he supports much of their platform, his main reason for running is to educate Americans about the effects of pre-natal alcohol in children. He’s been an advocate on the subject since his parents adopted two children he says suffered from its effects.
“And so that kind of opened my eyes. And it's been a 50-year journey,” said Casha.
Initially a backer of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Casha has now followed the former presidential candidate to the Trump campaign.
On Tuesday, he even attended a J.D. Vance rally in Detroit with the hope the vice-presidential candidate had read a book (The Fatal Link) that argues many U.S. school shooters were exposed to pre-natal alcohol.
Jim Casha at J.D. Vance rally on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024. (Source: Jim Casha)
He hasn’t gotten the direct attention of Vance yet.
In the meantime, this American has recently applied to become a Canadian citizen.
And while he will move stateside if elected to Congress, he’ll stay north of the 49th if he loses.
You see, while Casha loves America, he loves his Canadian wife Roxanne more.
He’s also come to love his adopted country for many reasons, including our political system.
When CTV News asked Casha what he thought the difference between the Canadian and American political systems was, he responded, “Well, I think the Canadians’ [political system] is better.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
PM Trudeau revives Canada-U.S. relations cabinet committee after Trump win
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is reviving a special cabinet committee dedicated to Canada-U.S. relations, following Republican Donald Trump's re-election.
Inside Canada's chaotic response to avian flu
A CFIA official is calling it the 'largest animal health emergency that this country has ever had to face.' A joint IJF/CTV News investigation looks into Canada's response to the bird flu pandemic, and how it's ravaged the country's farms.
Cuba left reeling after Category 3 hurricane ravages island and knocks out power grid
Cuba was left reeling Thursday after a fierce Category 3 hurricane ripped across the island, knocking out the country's power grid, downing trees and damaging infrastructure. No fatalities were immediately reported.
The world's 10 richest people got a record US$64 billion richer from Trump's re-election
Wednesday wasn't just a good day for Donald Trump. The wealth of the world’s 10 richest people also soared by a record amount, according to Bloomberg’s Billionaire Index.
Biden blamed by Harris allies for resounding loss to Trump
Joe Biden's name wasn't on the ballot, but history will likely remember Kamala Harris' resounding defeat as his loss too.
Police in southern Mexico find 11 bodies, including two of minors, dumped by a highway
Police in a southern Mexico region rife with drug cartel violence have found 11 bodies, including two of minors, dumped by a highway, prosecutors in the state of Guerrero said Thursday.
Influencer is banned from future NYC marathons for bringing a camera crew to last weekend's race
A social media influencer from Texas was disqualified from last weekend's New York City Marathon and banned from future competitions after he ran the race with a camera crew on e-bikes in tow.
Car dealership employees accused of selling stolen cars: Toronto police
Two suspects accused of selling stolen cars while employed at a legitimate car dealership in Toronto are now facing a combined 176 charges, police say.
What Donald Trump's election victory could mean for Canada
Following president-elect Donald Trump's decisive election victory, there are sure to be significant knock-on effects for Canada. Here's a look at the different areas in which a second Trump presidency may affect Canadians.