Vivek Ramaswamy, an entrepreneur and conservative known for his outspoken views, will officially launch his bid for governor this month. The 39-year-old gained national attention with his bold stance on issues like free speech and corporate accountability and his strong pro-Trump stance. He is gearing up to take on the political establishment with a campaign that promises to challenge the status quo and advocate for conservative principles.
According to reports, Ramaswamy has officially filed the paperwork for the Ohio governor’s race and will launch his campaign on February 24 at CTL Aerospace Inc. in his hometown of Cincinnati. He will then reportedly deliver remarks at Axium Packaging outside Columbus. Over the next two days, Ramaswamy will attend several scheduled events, beginning at Glass City Center in Toledo and The Local Bar in Strongsville, a suburb of Cleveland.
Ramaswamy was a 2024 presidential candidate before dropping out of the race to serve alongside Elon Musk in President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Reports suggest the Ohio businessman left DOGE to focus on his campaign for governor.
A website for Ramaswamy funded by “Vivek Ramaswamy for Ohio” teased a “big announcement.” However, the Republican has yet to comment on his potential run.
Ramaswamy is preparing to enter the GOP primary, aiming to succeed term-limited Gov. Mike DeWine (R). He will compete against state Attorney General Dave Yost and Heather Hill. In January, once viewed as a leading candidate, former Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted abruptly withdrew from the race after accepting an appointment to the U.S. Senate seat previously occupied by Vice President JD Vance.
His Democrat challenger is former Ohio Health Director Dr. Amy Acton.
Last month, I reported that Ramaswamy had initially planned to focus on completing his work at DOGE before announcing his gubernatorial bid. Trump suggested that the tasks at DOGE should be finished by mid-2026, which would have aligned perfectly with Ramaswamy’s timeline to start campaigning.