Vivek Ramaswamy is under fire from GOP critics for spending nearly $690,000 on private jet leases during his Ohio gubernatorial campaign, raising questions about campaign finance and candidate accessibility.
Republican gubernatorial nominee Vivek Ramaswamy is facing backlash from within his own party due to significant expenditures on private aircraft leasing, totaling nearly $690,000. This spending has sparked renewed scrutiny, particularly after comments from former Brown County Republican Party chairman Nick Owens, who suggested that Ramaswamy should “park the damn jet.” Owens emphasized that voters prefer to see candidates engaging with their communities rather than traveling by private aircraft.
Campaign finance records reviewed by the Ohio Capital Journal indicate that Ramaswamy’s campaign has spent approximately $560,000 leasing aircraft from V Leasing LLC through June. Notably, this company is registered at an address owned by Ramaswamy himself. Additionally, nearly $130,000 was paid to TVPX Aircraft Solutions, a Utah-based aircraft leasing company, bringing the total documented expenditure to nearly $690,000.
Ramaswamy has also personally loaned over $25 million to his gubernatorial campaign, raising further questions about the financial dynamics at play. Campaign finance watchdog Jordan Libowitz, from Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, expressed concern that if Ramaswamy repays his campaign loans using donor funds, it could lead to a situation where money flows back to him through the aircraft leasing arrangement. “If he is basically fronting money to rent a plane from himself, and then if he does not forgive the loans but reimburses himself, he’ll essentially be using donor funds to pay himself,” Libowitz explained to the Ohio Capital Journal. However, it is important to note that there are currently no established campaign finance violations related to these aircraft expenditures.
Federal flight records have revealed that Ramaswamy utilized these aircraft for several short trips within Ohio. For instance, on April 7, he flew from Ohio State University Airport in Columbus to Port Clinton prior to a campaign event in Lakeside. The following day, he traveled from Columbus to Cleveland for another event. On April 15, he flew from Columbus to Youngstown to meet with the Fraternal Order of Police at the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office. After winning the Republican primary, he also took a flight from Columbus to the Cleveland area for a campaign event in Brecksville on May 21. These in-state flights typically lasted around 30 minutes.
David Cohen, director of the Bliss Institute of Applied Politics at the University of Akron, has questioned the necessity of private aviation for certain trips, noting that many Ohio destinations are only a few hours apart by car. This sentiment reflects a growing concern among some Republicans regarding Ramaswamy’s campaign strategy.
Owens’ remarks represent a more pointed critique of Ramaswamy’s aircraft usage from within Republican ranks. “People want to see you in their neighborhoods and in their living rooms,” Owens stated during an interview with NBC News. “There’s no reason to be flying around in a jet in Ohio.” Additionally, Marietta City Council President Susan Vessels, another Republican, has publicly endorsed Democratic gubernatorial nominee Amy Acton, citing Ramaswamy’s wealth and his previous support for data centers as part of her concerns.
This controversy surrounding aircraft spending arises as Ramaswamy campaigns on affordability issues. On September 23, he joined Ohio Senate President Rob McColley and House Speaker Matt Huffman in advocating for a temporary 90-day suspension of Ohio’s 38.5-cent-per-gallon gas tax. Ramaswamy argued that Ohio could utilize available funds to cover the revenue gap created by this suspension. However, the Ohio Office of Budget and Management has indicated that a roughly $1.6 billion balance in the relevant Ohio Department of Transportation fund is already allocated for operations, maintenance, and capital projects. House Republican leaders estimated that the proposed suspension could cost between $640 million and $700 million.
While Ramaswamy’s aircraft expenditures and the state’s transportation funds are separate financial matters, the private jet spending has nonetheless become a focal point in the broader discussion regarding Ramaswamy’s campaign finances and the role of his personal wealth in the Ohio governor’s race. As the campaign progresses, it remains to be seen how these issues will impact Ramaswamy’s standing among voters and within the Republican Party.
According to the Ohio Capital Journal, the scrutiny surrounding Ramaswamy’s spending habits highlights the ongoing debate about accessibility and transparency in political campaigns.