Indian American biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy has emerged as the front runner in the race to succeed Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) even before the expected formal launch of his campaign in mid February, according to a media report.
New polling from a pro-Ramaswamy firm shows, a majority of Ohio Republican primary voters would get behind the former presidential candidate in 2026, The Hill reported.
READ: DOGE leaders Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy target 94% of remote federal workers (December 9, 2024)
The poll by Fabrizio, Lee & Associates found Ramaswamy with a “huge lead” over his potential competitors, winning 52% of the state’s Republican voters in a hypothetical primary ballot. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost (R), the first major candidate to declare a run, was in second place with 18%.
“In no uncertain terms, Vivek Ramaswamy is the overwhelming frontrunner to be the Republican nominee for Governor in Ohio, and he’ll only be buoyed by his pro-Trump and America First policies and ideas,” the pollster was cited as writing in a memo.
That pollster, according to the Hill, is an alum of both the Trump campaign and of Vice President JD Vance’s 2022 Senate bid. He is also among several Vance allies and advisers who are joining Ramaswamy’s team.
Those gets are “a pretty big indicator” that Ramaswamy could enter the governor’s race in the strongest position, the Ohio strategist was quoted as saying.
The Hill saw Vance’s top political advisers joining Ramaswamy’s soon-to-be-announced campaign, as a promising sign that he could snag a key endorsement from Vance or President Donald Trump — “though he’d likely face candidates who have longstanding political ties in the state.”
“He’ll need to do the work to get around,” a Republican strategist in the state was quoted as saying. “But listen, if he gets the Trump-Vance endorsement, I think it’s very tough. I think it’s over.”
Ramaswamy also pulled in a pre-launch endorsement this week from Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), who said on X that Ramaswamy would have his “full support” if he runs.
But the Republican primary could get crowded with Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague expected to join the race with Yost. Amy Acton, a former Ohio health director, is running on the Democrats’ side.
Longtime Ohio Democratic strategist Justin Barasky, who’s working with Acton’s campaign, predicted a “pretty messy primary” on the Republican side, which could “make for some interesting moments that I think Democrats will be able to capitalize on.”
The Hill cited Ohio-based Republican strategist Mark Weaver as saying Ramaswamy likely enters with an edge from his national profile and fundraising, but noted that Yost or Sprague start with “deeper political contacts” in Ohio.
“Each of them will need ,all of them will need to backfill where they are weak,” Weaver said. “So Ramaswamy will need to build an organization and relationships in 88 counties, and Sprague and Yost will need to build name identification and raise money.”
Ramaswamy’s alignment with both Trump and Vance is another leg up for his prospects in a Republican gubernatorial primary that could become a battle of who supports the president the best, according to experts cited by the Hill.
READ: Will Vivek Ramaswamy withdraw from DOGE? (January 20, 2025)
The Fabrizio polling also found that a hypothetical Trump endorsement increased Ramaswamy’s lead over Yost by roughly 12 points.
It’s unclear when Trump might weigh in on the Ohio race, though it’s unlikely he would preempt an announcement from Ramaswamy about his campaign. But sources cited by the Hill said the fact that Ramaswamy has brought over staff who have worked with both Trump and Vance is a strong indicator that both the president and vice president will be supportive of the bid.