Ramaswamy finished in DOGE, Ohio, campaign for governor expected to begin early next week: sources
Former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is performed on President Trump Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative, a source close to the multimillionaire biotech entrepreneur confirmed to Fox News Digital.
And Ramaswamy, who Trump tapped along with Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, to run DOGE in November, is expected to launch a Republican campaign for Ohio governor early next week, according to the source.
GOP Gov. Mike DeWine Ohio is term-limited and cannot seek re-election in 2026.
DeWine announced Friday that Lt. Gov. Jon Husted will fill the U.S. Senate seat he has been holding former Senator JD Vance until earlier this month, when the newly elected vice president stepped down ahead of Monday’s inauguration.
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Vivek Ramaswamy is seen at the 60th Presidential Inauguration in the Rotunda of the US Capitol in Washington, Monday, January 20, 2025. (Kenny Holston/The New York Times via AP, Pool)
Before the Senate announcement, Husted had planned to run for governor in 2026 to succeed DeWine. Ramaswamy, for his part, has expressed interest in serving in the Senate.
DeWine’s decision to select Husted to fill the Senate vacancy appears to hasten Ramaswamy’s move to launch a gubernatorial race.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announces his nomination of Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, right, to fill the U.S. Senate seat previously held by Vice President-elect JD Vance during a news conference Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Julie Carr Smyth)
Ramaswamy, 39, who launched his presidential campaign in February 2023, has seen his stock rise as he rose from long success to become a contender for the Republican nomination.
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Ramaswamy campaigned on what he called an “America First 2.0” agenda and was one of Trump’s biggest supporters in the field of rivals, calling Trump “the most successful president of our century.”
Vivek Ramaswamy supports former President Trump during a campaign rally in Atkinson, New Hampshire on January 16, 2024. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images)
He dropped his bid for the White House a year ago after finishing a distant fourth in the Iowa caucuses and quickly endorsed Trump, becoming a top surrogate on the campaign trail.
Ramaswamy’s departure appears to have cleared the way for Musk, Trump’s biggest donor and key ally, to run DOGE without having to be in the limelight.
Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are leading efforts to reduce government inefficiencies. (Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
The move also comes weeks after Ramswamy and Musk sparked an uproar among Trump’s die-hard MAGA supporters over their support for H-1B temporary work visas for highly skilled foreign workers.
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Ramaswamy’s comments criticizing American culture, which he said “reveres mediocrity over excellence,” drew criticism from leading voices on the far right.
Ohio, once a major general election battleground, has turned red in the past decade as Republicans have dominated statewide elections.
