Vivek Ramaswamy, the Cincinnati-born biotech entrepreneur and former 2024 Republican presidential candidate, has officially launched his bid for Ohio governor, promising sweeping economic and policy reforms.
Speaking to a cheering crowd in Cincinnati, Ramaswamy, 39, vowed to reinstate work requirements for Medicaid and welfare, eliminate state income and property taxes, and introduce merit-based pay for all public school educators and administrators.
“I spent most of last year working tirelessly to help send Donald Trump back to the White House because it was a fork in the road for our country,” Ramaswamy said. “Now, we face another fork in the road for Ohio’s future.”
Ramaswamy joins a crowded GOP primary field to replace term-limited Republican Governor Mike DeWine, 78. His business-first, outsider approach will be tested against seasoned political figures, including:
- Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, who announced his candidacy in January.
- Heather Hill, a Black entrepreneur from Appalachia.
- Dr. Amy Acton, former state health director, running as a Democrat.
Ohio has shifted solidly Republican in recent years, voting for Trump by over 8 percentage points in three consecutive elections. Republicans also hold all statewide executive offices, a majority on the Ohio Supreme Court, and supermajorities in the legislature.
Ramaswamy, who previously ran for president in 2024 before endorsing Trump, has highlighted his connections to the former president while building support among donors and key Republican figures.
Although Trump has not made an endorsement, Ramaswamy’s approach mirrors the populist, outsider strategy that helped JD Vance and Bernie Moreno win U.S. Senate seats in 2022 and 2024.
Ramaswamy’s campaign focuses on economic revitalization and conservative governance, with promises to:
- “End the war on work” by reintroducing work requirements for Medicaid and welfare.
- Abolish state income and property taxes, arguing they hinder economic growth.
- Make Ohio a leader in semiconductor production, nuclear energy, biotechnology, and Bitcoin.
- Implement merit-based pay for all public school teachers, principals, and administrators.
“If Silicon Valley was at the leading edge of the American economy for the last 10 years, it will be the Ohio River Valley for the next 10 years,” Ramaswamy declared.
Ramaswamy’s candidacy breaks from Ohio’s traditional political path, where governors typically rise through decades of public service. His business-to-politics transition follows the model of Trump’s rise, but will be tested at the state level for the first time in recent Ohio history.
With DeWine opting for experience over disruption by appointing Jon Husted to the Senate instead of Ramaswamy, the field is now open for endorsements and major donor backing.
So far, Ramaswamy has secured endorsements from Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague and Secretary of State Frank LaRose, setting up a high-profile showdown in the 2026 Republican primary.