The Ohio Republican Party officially endorsed Vivek Ramaswamy as its candidate for governor, a major victory for the one-time presidential hopeful.
The announcement following the party’s Friday meeting is a major boost for Ramaswamy’s bid to potentially clinch the Republican nomination and succeed termed-out Gov. Mike DeWine. Ramaswamy — the biotech businessperson who launched a presidential campaign in 2024, only to later drop out and endorse President Donald Trump — has already received Trump’s backing.
“Grateful to receive the endorsement of the Ohio Republican Party by a historic 60-3 margin,” Ramaswamy wrote on X following the announcement. “We’re laser focused on growing our Republican voter base & delivering a decisive victory in ‘26.”
The state party’s endorsement of Ramaswamy doesn’t cancel the primary, but is a major blow to his intraparty opponents.
Shortly after the announcement, the campaign for Ohio Attorney General David Yost — who has also been vying for the Republican nomination for governor — released a statement congratulating Ramaswamy and indicating Yost may be reconsidering moving forward with the race.
“The Attorney General is going to take a few days to consult with key supporters about the path forward — but the people of Ohio deserve a choice, not a premature coronation of an untested candidate,” the statement from his campaign manager Emily Hottinger read.
Even if Yost decides to end his campaign, it’s still possible Ramaswamy will face a tough primary. Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel — the legendary former Ohio State football coach — has been floated as another potential candidate, after being picked for lieutenant governor by DeWine earlier this year. Tressel acknowledged this week he is considering a run.
Still, Friday’s endorsement is an early win for Ramaswamy. DeWine got the state party’s support during his 2018 campaign for governor just three months before the primary. But the midterm primary is almost a year away.
Both Ramaswamy and those within Trump’s world have been pushing for an early vote of confidence. Donald Trump Jr. in a lengthy post on X addressed the voting committee of Ohio’s GOP, touting his endorsement of Ramaswamy and saying the gubernatorial hopeful is “cut from the same America First cloth” as other Ohio MAGA standouts, including Vice President JD Vance.
The Ohio GOP also endorsed Sen. Jon Husted’s campaign. He is running in a special election next year after DeWine picked him to take Vance’s Senate seat.
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