Businessman and former 2024 presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy will likely announce his candidacy for Ohio governor at a Cincinnati rally today.
Ramaswamy, originally connected to President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency with Elon Musk, left DOGE on Jan. 20, presumably to pursue elected office in Ohio.
When the term-limited Gov. Mike DeWine (R-OH) appointed his Lieutenant Gov., Jon Husted, to fill Vice President JD Vance’s Senate seat, it became almost certain that Ramaswamy would pursue the governorship.
In a post on X yesterday, Ramaswamy hinted at his intentions, writing, “Big announcement tomorrow, starting in the heart of America: Butler County.”
It is unlikely that Ramaswamy means anything other than his intent to run for governor.
Ohio generally has a history of choosing political insiders in statewide elections. Ohio’s two most recent governors, DeWine and John Kasich, had years of congressional service before leading the state.
The Buckeye State’s bias toward insiders started to shift in 2016 when Trump carried the state by more than eight points. Recent senatorial elections also indicate a shift, as both Vance and Sen. Bernie Moreno, a Republican, won their seats without previously holding elected office.
Ramaswamy, like Moreno, is a successful businessman without much previous political experience. He experienced a meteoric rise from being relatively unknown in 2022 to becoming a household name during the 2024 campaign.
If he runs, Ramaswamy will face Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and former Morgan County School Board President Heather Hill in the primary. Even though his announcement is not official yet, Ramaswamy has already racked up some endorsements, including from Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Mike Lee (R-UT) and Rick Scott (R-FL).
If Ramaswamy wins his primary, he will likely face former Health Department Director Amy Acton in the general election.
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Ramaswamy has been an outspoken supporter of Trump. This should play in his favor in a state that Trump won by large margins all three times he ran. In the past few cycles, Ohio has gone from a conservative-leaning swing state to a Republican stronghold.
If he announces his candidacy, Ramaswamy will enter the race as the favorite. Given the political climate in Ohio, Ramaswamy has a very good chance of winning the office two years after launching his career in politics.
