COLUMBUS, OH — May 9, 2025 — In a major boost to his gubernatorial campaign, entrepreneur and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy secured the official endorsement of the Ohio Republican State Central Committee for the 2026 governor’s race. The move significantly strengthens Ramaswamy’s standing in what is shaping up to be an increasingly one-sided GOP primary.
The endorsement, decided during a lengthy and mostly closed-door session in the basement of a downtown Columbus high-rise, puts the party’s institutional weight behind Ramaswamy and leaves his rivals scrambling to reassess their strategies.
While Attorney General Dave Yost formally entered the race in January, his campaign has struggled to gain traction among Republican leadership. In a statement released after the endorsement, Yost acknowledged the political headwinds: “We congratulate Mr. Ramaswamy. The Attorney General is going to take a few days to consult with key supporters about the path forward—but the people of Ohio deserve a choice, not a premature coronation of an untested candidate.”
Lieutenant Governor Jim Tressel, a former Ohio State University football coach who was appointed to the role following Jon Husted’s election to the U.S. Senate, has also been rumored as a potential candidate. Tressel, however, has not formally entered the race. In a recent statement obtained by the Statehouse News Bureau, he offered a cryptic comment: “My wife said it seemed God had more work for me to do—and she was right.”
Ramaswamy’s early consolidation of support suggests party leadership is looking to coalesce around a high-profile, national name who could energize the Republican base in a post-DeWine era. Governor Mike DeWine is term-limited and will leave office in January 2027.
