Trump-endorsed Vivek Ramaswamy wins Ohio GOP endorsement for 2026 governor's race

UPDATED: May 10, 2025 01:45 IST

Vivek Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur and former US presidential candidate endorsed by Donald Trump, won the official endorsement of the Ohio Republican Party for governor on Friday. The endorsement gives Ramaswamy a major early advantage heading into the 2026 race and reflects the continued dominance of Trump’s influence within the state GOP.

Backed strongly by President Trump and his inner circle, Ramaswamy, 39, outmaneuvered more experienced Republican rivals, including Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Appalachian businesswoman Heather Hill. In a closed-door session, the Ohio GOP Central Committee voted 60-3 to back Ramaswamy after first deciding by a 51-13 margin to endorse in the race.

The endorsement gives Ramaswamy key institutional advantages, including access to party fundraising channels, staff support, and discounted political mail rates under state law.

The endorsement comes amid growing friction within the party. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, who is term-limited and widely believed to favor Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel as a more moderate successor, opposed the early endorsement, calling the long lead-up to the 2026 primary "a lifetime in politics."

DeWine and his allies had lobbied behind the scenes to delay the endorsement vote, signaling his discomfort with Ramaswamy’s Trump-aligned, populist candidacy.

Tressel, the former Ohio State football coach appointed as lieutenant governor earlier this year, added intrigue to the race just hours before the vote by saying he is "seriously considering" a run, his strongest indication yet of potential candidacy. However, no one spoke on his behalf during Friday’s meeting, and he was absent from the vote.

Ramaswamy, a Cincinnati native and former co-chair of Trump's Department of Government Efficiency initiative, launched his campaign earlier this year and has since toured the state aggressively. Trump endorsed him on day one, calling him "Young, Strong, and Smart!" His campaign mirrors the recent trajectories of JD Vance and Bernie Moreno—political newcomers who won Senate seats in Ohio with Trump’s backing.

The Ohio GOP’s decision to conduct the debate and vote in private, a break from previous open proceedings, drew criticism. But party chairman Alex Triantifilou defended the move, saying, “This is a party decision. The public can make their judgment at the ballot box.”

Following the vote, Ramaswamy framed the endorsement as a call for unity. “There was a lot of wisdom in that room,” he told reporters. “This shows the Republican Party is ready to move forward together.”

Still, the endorsement poses new challenges for Yost and may complicate Tressel’s potential entry into the race. It also signals a broader shift within the Ohio GOP as the Trump wing continues to eclipse the influence of more traditional party figures like DeWine.

Meanwhile, on the Democratic side, former state health director Dr. Amy Acton remains the only announced candidate in the 2026 gubernatorial race. The deadline to file is February 4, 2026.

(With input from the Associated Press)