Vivek Ramaswamy Declares His Candidacy for Governor of Ohio

CINCINNATI—Vivek Ramaswamy, the biotech entrepreneur from Cincinnati who previously ran for president before withdrawing and backing President Donald Trump, has announced his candidacy for Ohio governor.

His declaration on February 24 had been highly anticipated for weeks following the 39-year-old Ramaswamy’s exit from his position with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) on the inaugural day of Trump’s new presidency.

The Ohio native, now residing in suburban Columbus, launched his campaign at CTL Aerospace, in front of a crowd sporting “Vivek for Ohio” signs, with many attendees donning pro-Trump and pro-DOGE merchandise.

Ramaswamy, born to Indian immigrants, achieved academic success at Harvard University and Yale Law School before thriving as an investment partner at hedge fund QVT Financial, founding Roivant Sciences, and co-founding Strive Asset Management.

He gained national recognition with his 2021 publication “Woke Inc: Inside Corporate America’s Social Justice Scam.”

Throughout his presidential run, Ramaswamy articulated 10 fundamental beliefs, starting with “God is real,” followed by “there are two genders,” as detailed in his 2024 book ”Truths: The Future of America First.”

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Ramaswamy has pledged to foster a pro-business environment as governor, noting that Ohio was once home to some of the wealthiest cities in the nation due to its industrial strength in the early 1900s.

He expressed a vision for Ohio to spearhead the nation’s second industrial revolution in the “sectors of the future.”

Additionally, Ramaswamy vowed to “eliminate income tax entirely.”

“It is your money, not the government’s,” he declared.

He also committed to reducing property taxes.

“It’s your land, not a lease from the government,” he stated.

Revamping work requirements for Medicaid and welfare will also be a priority, with the aim of helping Ohioans “achieve independence,” he assured.

Ramaswamy indicated that he will enhance educational opportunities in Ohio, advocating for homeschooling along with support for public, private, and charter schools.

“Ohio will be the first state in the nation to implement merit-based pay for every teacher, principal, and superintendent,” he proclaimed.

Ramaswamy is entering a Republican gubernatorial primary that includes Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and entrepreneur Heather Hill from southern Ohio.

Dr. Amy Acton, who was Ohio’s public health director during the COVID-19 crisis, is also vying for the position as a Democrat.

Ohio has been a stronghold for Trump, who won the state decisively in 2016, 2020, and 2024, while Republicans maintain a supermajority in the state Legislature.

Some Republican strategists speculate that former Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel may eventually announce his intention to run for Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s position, who is term-limited and cannot seek re-election.

Earlier this month, DeWine appointed Tressel as lieutenant governor, replacing Jon Husted, who moved to fill JD Vance’s vacant U.S. Senate seat.

During the press conference introducing his new role, Tressel was queried by journalists about his potential gubernatorial candidacy.

“I haven’t given any thought against it but I haven’t given any thought to it either,” Tressel, who previously served as president of Youngstown State University in northeast Ohio, replied. “I have been focused on what the governor would like me to learn and what the governor would like me to do.”

Randall Porter mentioned he traveled an hour from Centerville, Ohio, to attend Ramaswamy’s speech, marking his first experience at a political rally.

“I became familiar with him when he ran for president and liked a lot of what he said. He seems more libertarian in some of his views, which aligns with my beliefs,” Porter noted. “We face several issues in this state that require solutions. I’m interested in what his platform will entail.”

Porter expressed his belief that DeWine’s appointment of Tressel was a “strategic move to ensure [Ramaswamy] does not occupy the governor’s chair.”

If Tressel chooses to run for governor, he would represent a faction of the Ohio Republican Party that is less aligned with Trump compared to Ramaswamy, according to Porter.

“DeWine has demonstrated he’s not a supporter of Donald Trump, and likely, Ramaswamy will secure Trump’s endorsement,” Porter remarked. “[DeWine] would prefer someone who shares his perspectives rather than see one of Trump’s allies lead this state.”

Referencing popular TV shows, Ramaswamy stated: “That doesn’t originate in college; it starts at a young age. A culture that prioritizes the prom queen over the math olympiad champion, or the athlete over the valedictorian, will fail to produce the finest engineers.”

Yost issued a statement shortly after Ramaswamy’s announcement.

“I welcome Mr. Ramaswamy to the race for however long he remains,” Yost stated. “We’ll see if he actually stays in—Mr. Ramaswamy quit on President Trump and DOGE on day one; he quit on Ohio and moved his company to Texas; and he abandoned his presidential campaign after a disappointing fourth-place finish in Iowa.”

When Ramaswamy departed from DOGE, a commission representative praised his contributions: “He played a crucial role in helping us establish DOGE.”

“Given the structure we announced today, he intends to run for elected office soon, which requires him to step away from DOGE,” said White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly in a statement. “We greatly appreciate his efforts over the past two months and expect him to play a key part in making America great again.”

Trump has publicly supported Ramaswamy’s intention to run for Ohio governor. Ohio Republicans State Treasurer Robert Sprague and Secretary of State Frank LaRose have also endorsed him.

Jack Phillips contributed to this report.