Arnold Schwarzenegger on Friday compared Ohio Gov. John Kasich to his most famous role, the Terminator.
The actor and former California governor joined Kasich for a telephone town hall meeting Friday night.
He noted that Kasich finished his 100th town hall meeting in New Hampshire earlier Friday and that the number 101 has special meaning to him. He played the cyborg assassin T-800 Model 101 in the first "Terminator" film.
Schwarzenegger said the cyborg doesn't feel fear or pain and can take a beating without stopping. He told Kasich "This is you. You are the Terminator."
He also referenced the less successful "Jingle All the Way" but explained that Kasich has been so supportive to him that he even went to see that.
Heading into the final days before New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primaries next week, Kasich is keeping his campaign positive, even bragging about how he asked the super PAC backing him not to run an ad hitting rival Marco Rubio.
Kasich instead focuses on his time as governor of Ohio and as a member of the U.S. House, telling voters to look at what candidates have done rather than what they say they'll do.
IN DEPTH: How Iowa caucuses may help Kasich in New Hampshire
His work to balance the federal budget in the 1990s and economic track record in Ohio sit at the center of his pitch, and he says voters can expect a whirlwind first 100 days of a Kasich presidency, during which he'll pursue regulatory, immigration and Social Security reform, among other things. But, he also tells them, he believes conservatism is about making sure society's most vulnerable members aren't left behind.
Kasich is banking on a good showing in the Granite State to keep his campaign afloat; it's where he's focused the vast majority of his time and money so far.
“If I get smoked here, I’m going to cry and I’m going to go home,” he said last month. “I don’t think that’s going to happen, because we have too good of an organization.”
It’s important for the Ohio governor to finish among the top four candidates in New Hampshire if he wants to keep raising money from donors to continue his campaign, Ohio State political science professor Paul Beck said.
Kasich finished eighth in this week's Iowa caucuses; Texas Sen. Ted Cruz placed first, edging out business mogul Donald Trump.
New Hampshire's primary is Tuesday.
