 "Vivek Ramaswamy set to run for Ohio governor, announcement likely tomorrow")
Biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy is expected to launch his bid for Ohio governor on Tuesday (IST), reported the Associated Press. This comes a month after Ramaswamy left the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) a day after President Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Ramaswamy, who ran for presidency in the 2024 US elections before dropping out and supporting Donald Trump, is set to kick off his campaign in Cincinnati at 3.30 pm ET on Monday (2 am IST on Tuesday), with subsequent events planned in Columbus, Toledo, and Cleveland.
The governor's seat is becoming available due to incumbent Governor Mike DeWine reaching his term limit. In a related political shift, Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted, who was considered a frontrunner for the governorship, vacated his position to fill the US Senate seat left open by Vice President JD Vance. Governor DeWine appointed former Ohio State University football coach Jim Tressel as the new Lieutenant Governor.
Ramaswamy's entry into the race adds to a competitive Republican primary field that includes Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Heather Hill, a former member of the state's Martin Luther King Jr Commission. On the Democratic side, Dr Amy Acton, former Ohio Department of Health Director, has declared her candidacy.
Why Vivek Ramaswamy left DOGE?
Ramaswamy, 39, was chosen by the Donald Trump to lead the DOGE alongside billionaire Elon Musk. However, a day after Trump's inauguration on January 20, Ramaswamy announced that he was leaving the newly-established department while dropping hints about his political ambitions in Ohio.
"It was my honor to help support the creation of DOGE. I’m confident that Elon and team will succeed in streamlining government. I’ll have more to say very soon about my future plans in Ohio. Most importantly, we’re all-in to help President Trump make America great again!" he said in a post on X.
According to some reports, Ramaswamy left DOGE after his comments on H-1B visas stoked controversy. Ramaswamy drew ire over a social media post in which he argued that American culture favoured mediocrity over excellence, a stance that reportedly displeased both President Donald Trump and Elon Musk.