Vivek Ramaswamy launched his 2026 campaign for Ohio governor, taking another crack at elected office after his longshot bid for the White House in 2024.
“President Trump is reviving our conviction in America. We require a leader here at home who will revive our conviction in Ohio, and that is why today I am honored to announce that I am running to be the next Governor of a great state at the heart of the greatest nation known to mankind,” Ramaswamy said at a Monday launch event in Cincinnati.
“I will lead Ohio to be the top state in the country where patriots across America actually flock to instead of Florida and Texas. I will lead Ohio to be the state of excellence in America,” he said.
The biotech entrepreneur joins Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost (R) in the Republican primary race to succeed term-limited Gov. Mike DeWine (R) in the Buckeye State.
Ramaswamy, who grew his national profile along the 2024 campaign trail, enters the ring with notable support and promising new polling from a pro-Ramaswamy firm. His team recently brought on some of Vice President Vance’s top political advisers, seen as an indicator that he could possibly snag a game-changing endorsement from Vance or President Trump.
Ramaswamy was a vocal ally of Trump even as he challenged him for GOP nod last year, and was then tapped to help lead Trump’s new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) alongside tech mogul Elon Musk. He departed that commission last month, teasing “future plans in Ohio.”
Ramaswamy’s opened his Monday remarks by touting his efforts to get Trump back into the White House, calling the 2024 election “a fork in the road,” an apparent reference to the subject line of a Trump administration email offering what amounted to buyouts to all federal employees. The email came as part of efforts by the White House and DOGE to overhaul the federal government.
Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague was expected to run for the governor’s mansion, but he changed course and gave Ramaswamy his support earlier this month. Former Lt. Gov. Jon Husted (R) was also considered a potential contender, but DeWine instead named him for Vance’s vacant seat in the Senate.
DeWine then selected ex-Ohio State University football coach Jim Tressel to take on the lieutenant governorship. At a press conference announcing his nomination, Tressel didn’t explicitly rule out an eventual run for governor, but said he has a “singleness of purpose” for his new role.
Ramaswamy’s alignment with Trump is set to serve him well in Ohio, which Trump won by 11 points in November.
Still, Ramaswamy has been criticized from both sides of the aisle over some controversial moves, like his labeling of the “climate change agenda” as a “hoax” and his support for slashing Ukraine funding.
He also faces a tough competitor in Yost, who boasts experience in elected office and long political ties to the state. Yost notably expressed his support for Trump in his own campaign launch.
Amy Acton, a former Ohio health director, is running on the Democrats’ side.
“Ohioans need a governor who wants to improve their lives, but Ramaswamy is a billionaire who cares more about his bottom line than Ohioans,” said state Democratic Party Chair Elizabeth Walters in a statement ahead of the launch.
“It’s day one of his campaign, and it’s clear that Ramaswamy is only out for himself and elite special interests. Ohioans will reject them both at the polls.”
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose (R) was among the speakers who kicked off the launch. Ramaswamy was expected to hold another launch event in New Albany on Monday night, followed by stops in Toledo and Strongsville on Tuesday.
