Failed presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is expected to announce on Monday that he is launching a bid to replace Republican Gov. Mike DeWine of Ohio, who cannot run again due to term limits. According to NBC News, which first reported the news, Ramaswamy will kick off a statewide announcement tour in Cincinnati Monday afternoon.
Ramaswamy, a 39-year-old MAGA loyalist, has never held elected office but enters the race as the presumptive front-runner due to his connections with President Donald Trump—whom he endorsed after dropping out of the Republican presidential primary—and with Vice President JD Vance, whose staff will steer Ramaswamy’s campaign, as reported by NBC News.
During his announcement, Ramaswamy is expected to share his platform, which includes cutting regulations and spending (similar to what his former friend Elon Musk is doing with the Department of Government Efficiency), implementing a merit-pay system for public school teachers, reshaping K-12 education, and phasing out the state’s income tax.
Interestingly, Ramaswamy does not want the media or the voters in the state to draw comparisons between his plans for the governorship and what DOGE is doing—likely because both DOGE and Musk are widely unpopular.
“There are a lot of people eager to make that analogy and characterization,” Ramaswamy told NBC News. “But I think I characterize my vision for Ohio expansively.”
It may be difficult to separate the two, though. After all, Trump originally tapped Ramaswamy to co-lead DOGE with Musk, but the unelected mega-billionaire reportedly pushed him out because they did not share the same vision for the initiative. According to The Washington Post, Ramaswamy wanted DOGE to act as a think tank to identify which government agencies could be cut without congressional approval, while Musk preferred a more heavy-handed approach that involved a “technology-first perspective.” Musk also wanted DOGE to operate within the government, and he got his way.
Around that time, Ramaswamy also went on a social media rant alleging that American culture rewards mediocrity. And like Musk, he expressed support for H-1B visas for skilled foreign workers, which other MAGA acolytes, such as Steven Bannon, have called a “total scam.”
“President Trump, Elon, and I had a great relationship but talked about exactly where each of us was going to drive maximum change for the country,” Ramaswamy told NBC News. “I believe that leading from the front here in Ohio and setting an example for the rest of the country and, frankly, even bringing some of the principles of efficiency and spending and deregulation to our state would be the way that I as a leader would be able to have the biggest impact.”
Indeed, while Ramaswamy’s name recognition might currently place him at the top of the pack, his ties to DOGE and Musk could become a liability during the campaign.
The Columbus Dispatch reported that approximately 56,000 Ohioans are employed by the federal government, and polling indicates that Americans are concerned about Musk’s cuts to programs like student financial aid as well as Social Security payments. According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Thursday, a majority of Americans (58%) expressed concern that these services could face delays.
This could create an opportunity for Ohio Attorney General David Yost or Morgan County’s Heather Hill to surpass Ramaswamy in the GOP primary. Yost entered the race in January, citing a “groundswell” of support for the soon-to-be vacant position.
The Republican primary could get even larger too. Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel, a former Ohio State University football coach, isn’t ruling out a bid either.
So far, former Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton is the only Democrat in the race.
What’s working in Ramaswamy’s favor is that even before his Monday announcement, Republican Sens. Mike Lee of Utah and Rick Scott of Florida pledged their support for his campaign. Plus, as NBC News noted, Ohio’s voters may like a sort of “outsider” candidate running to be the next head of state.
Trump’s endorsement—or lack thereof—may also shake up the race. The president has not yet endorsed any of the Republicans running.
UPDATE (Frances Langum):
Ramaswamy, for his part, made it an open secret that he desires to be Ohio’s next governor (or do anything in government these days). He previously told The Columbus Dispatch he’d like to lead Ohio into “a state of excellence.” The outlet also reported that Ramaswamy has plans to speak at local Lincoln Day dinners across the state.
“I don’t think a standard politician can get that job done. I do think it’s going to take somebody with fresh legs, a governor who is willing to drive real change,” he told NBC News. “I think that that’s going to require a leader for our moment that was a little different than a traditional politician, and that’s a big part of why I’m called into this race as well.”
That said, the primary promises to be challenging, and one of Ramaswamy’s opponents have already expressed skepticism toward his bid.
“He has wanted, over the last year, to be president, to have a Cabinet spot, to be co-leader of DOGE,” Yost told NBC News. “The governor of Ohio is not a consolation prize. … My concern is that what he seems to do best is to quit.”
Republished with permission from Daily Kos.
