Every election cycle, Iowans are bombarded by political advertisements, phone calls and town hall meetings with several candidates, but what happens to candidates like John Kasich, who spend minimal resources and time in the state?

Multiple political experts at Iowa State said contrary to popular belief, not spending time in Iowa isn’t a death sentence.

Mack Shelley, professor of political science, believes Kasich is in it for the long haul, even if he is relatively unknown in Iowa.

Kasich might not be a leader in Iowa, but he is still polling well in New Hampshire and Ohio.

Shelley said it helps being a moderate republican, especially in New Hampshire. Kasich has differentiated himself from the rest of the GOP field because of his willingness to work across the aisle with Democrats.

David Andersen, assistant professor of political science, described Kasich as a “no-nonsense Republican candidate” who can be practical when it comes to working with Democrats.

While Kasich has several strengths in his campaign, he has experienced some repercussions for not doing a lot in Iowa.

Andersen said Iowa was different than most states because other states don’t punish politicians as much for not doing a lot of campaigning.

Iowa becomes a media hub around caucus time, which can help some lesser-known candidates get their names out if they take the time to meet with Iowa voters.

While the nation pays attention to Iowa during caucus season, other states play a pivotal role during election time.

Shelley said Kasich is “really out of luck in Iowa.”

Even though Kasich isn’t focusing on Iowa, he has an advantage in Ohio, another important state, where he has been governor since 2011.

Shelley said Ohio can be a make or break state, and no Republican has won the White House without Ohio.

While other states are important, Kasich is still an underdog in the election because of the current climate surrounding the GOP field.

With a large number of candidates running, it’s hard to stick out in the crowd, and in this election, it’s especially difficult for a politician.

In the latest Iowa NBC/WSJ poll, the non-politicians — Trump, Carly Fiorina and Ben Carson — have a combined 51 percent of the vote, while Kasich has 3 percent.

Shelley said some voters view politicians as part of the problem in Washington, which has led to the substantial leads that Trump, Fiorina and Carson have gained.

While the numbers point in favor of non-politicians, Andersen and Shelley both said a shift back to candidates like Kasich, Rubio and Cruz could easily occur once the election rolls around next year.

Andersen said the best thing Kasich can do to stay relevant in this election is lie low and not embarrass himself.

At this point, it is too early to rule out Kasich as a major contender in the election. The GOP field is a diverse and unprecedented group, and once caucus season arrives in Iowa, it’s anyone’s game, Shelley and Andersen said.