Biotech entrepreneur and former presidential contender Vivek Ramaswamy has secured the Republican nomination for Governor of Ohio, NBC News projected on Tuesday.
The 40-year-old businessman defeated social media personality Casey Putsch, setting the stage for a high-stakes general election this November.
With the incumbent Republican Governor Mike DeWine barred from seeking another term by state law, the path is now clear for a contest that many observers believe will be the most expensive in the history of the Buckeye State.
Ramaswamy, who has already funneled $25 million of his own fortune into the race, enters the general election with a war chest that dwarfs typical state-level campaigns.
On the Democratic side, former state health director Amy Acton cruised to her party's nomination without opposition.
Ramaswamy is running alongside state Senate President Rob McColley for the lieutenant governorship. Acton’s ticket includes David Pepper, the former chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party and a veteran of statewide campaigns.
Ramaswamy’s political profile rose significantly during his 2024 presidential run. He was one of the many candidates who sought the Republican presidential nomination, but dropped out of the race after a disappointing showing in the Iowa caucuses and endorsed Donald Trump.
Ramswamy was later named by Trump as co-head with Elon Musk of the Department of Government Efficiency, but resigned from that federal initiative just before the 2025 inauguration to focus on his gubernatorial ambitions.
During a Republican primary debate ahead of the presidential election, Ramaswamy stated his desire to end US military aid to Israel by 2028, assuming that additional peace deals are reached with the Arab and Muslim world by that time.
Following the debate, Ramaswamy walked back his comments about Israel and stated that he would not cut aid to the Jewish State unless Israel said it no longer needed US aid. In an interview with Israel Hayom, he stated that America's aid to Israel benefits the US.