Biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy announced his 2026 campaign for Ohio governor on Monday as he looks to translate his national profile into a run for statewide office.
Speaking to supporters in his hometown of Cincinnati, Ramaswamy fashioned himself as an America First conservative who would usher in an economic and cultural resurgence in Ohio.
“We were the state of excellence, and we can be the state of excellence again,” Ramaswamy told the audience, echoing President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan.
“As your next governor, Ohio will be the state that leads the way,” he added.
Ramaswamy has been teasing a gubernatorial run for weeks, but Monday’s event marked the formal kickoff. Over the next 24 hours, Ramaswamy will travel to the Columbus, Toledo, and Cleveland areas to round out his campaign launch.
Ramaswamy, 39, has never held elected office, spending the bulk of his career in the biotech sector. But he gained national prominence with an unsuccessful run for president in 2024, later becoming a top surrogate for Trump.
Ramaswamy has found early support from two would-be competitors in the Republican primary for governor. Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose and Treasurer Robert Sprague have both endorsed his candidacy.
In a sign of support within Trumpworld, Vice President JD Vance’s top political advisers will also be aiding his campaign.
But Ramaswamy faces a formidable challenge in Dave Yost, the two-term attorney general of Ohio. That field could grow if Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel (R-OH), the former Ohio State football coach, decides to enter the race.
Ramaswamy’s announcement comes one month after he abruptly left Trump’s cost-cutting initiative, the Department of Government Efficiency, to run for governor.
At Trump’s urging, Ramaswamy was briefly considered for the Senate seat vacated by Vance as well. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, who is term-limited, ultimately appointed Jon Husted, then his lieutenant governor, instead.
Ramaswamy would not be the first political newcomer to run for statewide office in Ohio. Vance and Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) won back-to-back Senate races, largely on the strength of Trump’s endorsement.
But Ramaswamy is testing whether he can follow that playbook to the governor’s mansion, an office that has less to do with national politics and more with state affairs. On Monday, he advocated a platform that includes merit-based pay for teachers and phasing out Ohio’s income tax.
JUDGE CHUTKAN DENIES STATES’ REQUEST TO BLOCK MUSK AND DOGE ACCESS
At the same time, he continues to appear on cable shows, in particular Fox News, to defend Trump’s agenda.
Ramaswamy began his announcement speech noting that he spent “most of last year” campaigning on Trump’s behalf.
“It was a fork in the road for the future of the country, and in November, we made the right decision by reeelecting the greatest president of the 21st century, by sending Donald Trump back,” Ramaswamy said.
Trump has not yet waded into the Ohio governor’s race, still in its early stages, but he issued a preemptive endorsement last week to Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL), who is expected to launch a run for Florida governor.
