CLEVELAND — You see him here. You see him there. You just don't see Ohio Gov. John Kasich inside the GOP convention hall.

The Republican governor has notably taken a pass on appearing at the convention in his home state, turning down what should be a prominent role because of his long-standing objection to Donald Trump's candidacy.

But that doesn't mean Kasich, one of the last Republican presidential candidates to get crushed by Trump's party takeover, is absent. He's ubiquitous: at hotels speaking to state delegations, a banquet hall with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame gabbing with Chris Matthews on MSNBC.

Kasich is holding a shadow convention, just outside the thick security perimeter of the real one in downtown Cleveland.

While speakers inside the convention hall place mock handcuffs on Hillary Clinton images and cheer at the dream of a Mexican border wall, Kasich stands behind a Lucite lectern at a staid downtown think tank, quoting Scripture and telling men in suits about America's obligation to lead the world.

He's doing his best not to name Trump. But he has lobbed plenty of backhanded insults, some more subtle than others. As Trump was celebrating his party's official nomination Tuesday night, Kasich held a party down the street at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. When he finished speaking, a song blared out: “Won't Get Fooled Again.”

Trump's campaign has fired back; its chairman this week called Kasich's absence “embarrassing.”

To Republican delegates and activists, especially those supporting Trump, it's all a bit baffling.

“He's a good man and a bad host,” said Bobby Kalotee, a county GOP official from New York who was chatting with fellow politicos at a downtown hotel lobby. “You do not invite guests to your home and not be at your home.”

Gregory Peterson, a New York delegate, called the behavior “childish” and “petulant.”

“In politics, winning counts,” he said. “After you've lost, that's a test of character. You've got to be a big boy now.”

Those who know Kasich say it's not surprising; he likes defying the crowd and may still be thinking about running for president again. Kasich, who declined questions at an event and an interview request submitted to his staff, insists the snub is not personal. He has yet to endorse Trump and said that will not change unless he sees evidence of a genuine conversion from the brash candidate.

“I'm not here to disrupt. I'm not here to criticize,” he said in the MSNBC interview. “I'm just here because I'm standing on the things that I believe are best for the country.”

“The terrible thing is Americans are faced — increasingly, I hear from people — with no choice,” he added. “They are not keen on Trump and they don't like Hillary, either. It's a vexing situation.”

During his appearance at the International Republican Institute think tank this week, Kasich spent 15 minutes praising globalism, free trade, immigration expansion, cooperation with European allies and supporting emerging democracies around the world, all issues on which he disagrees with Trump.

He made an oblique reference to the Republican convention, teasing a member of the audience who expressed support for the recent vote by Britons to leave the European Union.

“You're happy with ‘Brexit'? You sure you're at IRI and not the other one?” he asked, referring to Trump's convention.

So far, Kasich is not paying a political price in his home state, because the party remains so divided, said Jim Nathanson, another Ohio-based GOP consultant. That could change, closer to November.

“As the party slowly galvanizes behind Trump, there will be more pressure on him,” Nathanson said.

noah.bierman@latimes.com