Vivek Ramaswamy, the biotech billionaire endorsed by former President Donald Trump, secured the Ohio Republican Party’s gubernatorial endorsement on Friday, surpassing more experienced rivals and gaining critical institutional and financial backing nearly a year ahead of the 2026 primary.
At 39, Ramaswamy, who previously co-chaired Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency initiative, benefited from Trump’s support and a late endorsement from Trump Jr., who urged members of the 66-member State Central Committee to back him.
The party’s governing board took the unusual step of holding the debate and vote behind closed doors. This move sparked objections from some party members who felt the endorsement was premature and unfair.
Lara Trump, former co-chair of the Republican National Committee and the president’s daughter-in-law, called into the meeting, reminding the committee of the GOP’s 2026 motto, “Unite, unite, unite!” although she stopped short of endorsing Ramaswamy herself.
The endorsement came despite Ohio Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel’s announcement on Thursday that he’s considering running for governor. Tressel, a former Ohio State football coach with a championship record, could pose a challenge to Ramaswamy. The filing deadline for the race is February 4, 2026.
The endorsement also dealt a setback to two other announced gubernatorial candidates: Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Appalachian entrepreneur Heather Hill. Former state health director Dr. Amy Acton is the only Democrat currently in the race.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, who is term-limited and unable to run again, referred to the near-year until the 2026 primary as “a lifetime” in politics. He is thought to have picked Tressel as a moderate Republican successor.
Ramaswamy, who previously ran for president in 2024, launched his gubernatorial campaign in February, receiving Trump’s endorsement on the same day with the praise “Young, Strong, and Smart!” He has been actively campaigning across Ohio since.
Ramaswamy, originally from Cincinnati, had also shown interest in running for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Vice President JD Vance, but DeWine selected Lt. Gov. Jon Husted to fill the seat. In a separate vote on Friday, the central committee also endorsed Husted to retain the seat next year.
Meanwhile, Yost chose not to attend the meeting, opting instead to attend the funeral of a retired Hamilton County sheriff’s deputy who had been killed in an accident. In a letter to the central committee, Yost explained that he believed attending the funeral was the right decision, even though it might not have been politically wise.
Ramaswamy hopes to replicate the success of figures like Vance and Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno, both newcomers to Ohio politics who won Senate seats with Trump’s endorsement. Yost, a longtime state officeholder, launched his gubernatorial campaign in January, testing the Trump-endorsed outsider model. Historically, Ohio voters have favored candidates with government experience for state offices, while preferring business backgrounds for presidential and Senate races.