Vivek Ramaswamy, a Cincinnati-born biotech entrepreneur who stepped down from the Department of Government Efficiency initiative on President Donald Trump’s first day in office, launched his campaign for Ohio governor on Monday. He has pledged to introduce work requirements for Medicaid and implement merit-based pay for all public school educators and administrators.
At 39, Ramaswamy officially kicked off his campaign in Cincinnati, entering the 2026 Republican primary just weeks after presumed front-runner and then-Lt. Gov. Jon Husted withdrew to accept an appointment to the U.S. Senate.
Ramaswamy had previously pursued the Republican nomination for president in 2024 before suspending his campaign to support Trump. His loyalty to Trump earned him a role co-chairing the efficiency initiative alongside billionaire Elon Musk. Nearly a billionaire himself, Ramaswamy has actively highlighted his relationship with Trump while securing key endorsements and financial backers for his gubernatorial campaign. Trump formally endorsed Ramaswamy on social media Monday night.
“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,” Ramaswamy declared to a cheering crowd. “It was a fork in the road for the future of the country.”
Trump, posting on his Truth Social platform, praised Ramaswamy as “something SPECIAL.”
“He’s Young, Strong, and Smart!” Trump wrote. “Vivek is also a very good person, who truly loves our Country. He will be a GREAT Governor of Ohio, will never let you down, and has my COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENDORSEMENT!”
Ramaswamy’s entrance into the race intensifies an already competitive Republican primary to succeed Gov. Mike DeWine, a 78-year-old center-right politician who is ineligible for re-election due to term limits.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost had already announced his candidacy in January, while Heather Hill, a Black entrepreneur from Appalachia, is also in the running. Meanwhile, Dr. Amy Acton, the former Ohio health director who played a pivotal role in navigating the state through the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, is seeking the Democratic nomination.
The candidates will vie for the governorship in a state that, though once considered a political bellwether, has leaned solidly Republican in recent years. Trump secured Ohio in three consecutive elections by margins exceeding eight percentage points. The Republican Party also dominates statewide, holding all executive offices, a majority on the Ohio Supreme Court, and supermajorities in both legislative chambers.
At his campaign launch event, Ramaswamy promised to “end the war on work” by reinstating work requirements for Medicaid and other welfare programs.
He also vowed to eliminate income and property taxes, positioning Ohio as the first state to implement a merit-based compensation system for every teacher, principal, superintendent, and administrator.
Reflecting on Ohio’s industrial heyday, Ramaswamy recalled when the state was home to leading global industries such as glass, rubber, and steel. He argued that Ohio could reclaim its economic prominence, albeit in different sectors such as semiconductor manufacturing, nuclear energy, biotechnology, and cryptocurrency.
“I believe deep in my bones that Ohio can lead the way again,” he stated. “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.”
Shortly after Ramaswamy’s campaign announcement, Yost issued a pointed statement welcoming him to the race “for however long he sticks around.”
A practicing Hindu, Ramaswamy has outlined his 10 fundamental beliefs, first introduced during his presidential campaign. These include declarations such as “God is real” and “there are two genders,” themes central to his 2024 book, Truths: The Future of America First. He initially gained national recognition with his 2021 book, Woke Inc: Inside Corporate America’s Social Justice Scam, in which he criticized corporations for exploiting social justice causes to further self-serving agendas.
Ramaswamy’s gubernatorial run represents a departure from the conventional path to Ohio’s top executive office, which typically involves extensive government experience spanning decades. Instead, he is attempting a Trump-style ascent directly from the business world into high-level political office.
This strategy has proven effective in recent years for political newcomers such as Vice President JD Vance and U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno. Both won Senate seats with Trump’s endorsement in 2022 and 2024, respectively. However, Ramaswamy will be the first to test this approach in a statewide executive race in Ohio in recent memory.
DeWine had previously passed over Ramaswamy when filling the Senate vacancy left by Vance, opting instead for Husted due to his extensive experience in public office. Husted, a former Ohio House speaker and secretary of state, had secured numerous key endorsements and major donors before suspending his gubernatorial bid. Now, many of those endorsements and donors are back in play.
While speculation about Ramaswamy’s candidacy had been circulating for some time, Yost entered the race early, likely anticipating the entrepreneur’s eventual announcement. Since then, Ramaswamy has gained endorsements from Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague and Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose, strengthening his position in the race.