In a pivotal development, Vivek Ramaswamy, a biotech billionaire endorsed by former President Donald Trump, gained the Ohio Republican Party’s endorsement ahead of the 2026 gubernatorial contest, emerging successful against seasoned and possibly more favoured competitors. The support is both substantive and financial; a crucial victory that comes nearly a year ahead of the primary. Ramaswamy, who once served as co-chair of President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency Initiative, profited from Trump’s endorsement as well as a last-minute post from Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., who urged members of the State Central Committee to support Ramaswamy.
The junior Trump noted that early endorsements were unusual, but emphasized the extraordinary circumstances. ‘The times we are living in are far from ordinary. We need to rescue our nation, and we absolutely cannot afford to waste time or resources,’ wrote Donald Trump Jr. Lara Trump, previously the co-chair of the Republican National Committee and the president’s daughter-in-law, phoned into the Friday meeting. While she did not directly advocate for Ramaswamy’s endorsement, she reminded the committee of the GOP’s guiding slogan for 2026 – ‘Unite, unite, unite!’
The entire discourse and voting process endorsing Ramaswamy took place in private, amidst party objections that to do so at this stage might be premature or unjust. Outgoing Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, the official head of the state party – forbidden by term limits from running again – cautioned that the stretch till the next year’s primary is a ‘lifetime’ in politics. Amidst all this, other candidates pursued their gubernatorial ambitions.
The drive for an early endorsement moved forward even as Governor DeWine’s Deputy, Jim Tressel, broke his silence on Thursday to express his own interest in running for governor. Tressel, a former head coach for Ohio State Buckeyes and renowned championship winner, could gain traction amongst the fervent Ohio sports fans, known as the Buckeye Nation, and also appeal to the 600,000 alumni of the university. The deadline to file for candidacy in the race is set for February 4, 2026.
The endorsement undoubtedly came as a blow to Dave Yost, Ohio’s 68-year-old Attorney General and Ramaswamy’s most prominent rival in the primary. Yost, who has served four terms in state office, received gratulatory remarks regarding the endorsement from his campaign manager, Emily Hottinger. Hottinger stated that the Attorney General would take some time to discuss his path forward with key supporters, emphasizing that Ohio’s citizens deserve an option rather than a premature crowning of an inexperienced candidate.’
Dr. Amy Acton, the former state health director who played a key role in navigating Ohio through the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, is thus far the only Democrat announced in the race. Meanwhile, Ramaswamy’s campaign has been gaining momentum.
Ramaswamy, also a onetime 2024 presidential candidate, initiated a lively campaign in February, earning Trump’s approval on the day of launch. Praising him as ‘Young, Strong, and Smart !’, Trump has been actively pushing for Ramaswamy’s candidacy. Ramaswamy stated on Friday that his campaign was poised for success following the state party endorsement, highlighting his ambition to appeal not only to Republicans but to all Ohio voters.
‘The nature of our campaign doesn’t boil down to a left versus right dispute,’ he shared with journalists after the vote. ‘It really is a question of upward or downward movement. And we in Ohio choose to climb.’ He expressed that the forthcoming campaign phase would focus on his planned solutions to address sluggish population growth in the state, potential energy deficiencies, and shortcomings in academic performance.
Cincinnati-born Ramaswamy had earlier displayed interest in the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by Vice President JD Vance. However, DeWine chose Jon Husted, then Lieutenant Governor, as Vance’s immediate successor. In a separate vote on the same day, the Central Committee concurred with Trump in endorsing Husted for his 2026 bid to hold on to his seat for the remainder of Vance’s term.
Husted, a veteran in Ohio politics, was seen as a front-runner for the governorship until he unexpectedly accepted the Senate appointment. His removal from the race for governor cleared a path for Ramaswamy in state politics, potentially dissuading him from challenging Vance, a mutual Cincinnati native, for the presidency come 2028.
Amidst these decisions, the other gubernatorial candidates were also making moves. Yost, instead of attending the party meeting, joined Governor DeWine in attending the funeral service for a retired Hamilton County sheriff’s deputy who had been tragically killed. In a letter to Central Committee members that was later acquired by The Associated Press, Yost shared that this was a challenging decision for him.
He wrote, ‘Making the closing arguments at a trial always presented an intriguing aspect for me – the refining of evidence, its implications, and the application of reasoning and law. I enjoy the competition. Yet, I believe this decision aligns with the right course of action, politically astute or not.’
As the meeting unfolded, Ohio’s other three statewide officeholders were present, with both Secretary of State Frank LaRose and Treasurer Robert Sprague encouraging the committee to endorse Ramaswamy. Auditor Keith Faber opted not to discuss the gubernatorial contention but warned against a pending prohibition on police immunity that might make its way to the statewide ballot.
Meanwhile, Heather Hill, another candidate for governor and an entrepreneur from Appalachia, described the endorsement decision as unfair in an interview. She asserted that the party should have maintained neutrality as it has in prior instances, thus allowing the candidates to vie openly in the primary.