Vivek Ramaswamy is seen at the 60th Presidential Inauguration in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Monday, Jan. 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, had expressed interest in serving in the Senate.
DeWine's decision to choose Husted to fill the vacant Senate seat appeared to accelerate Ramaswamy's move toward launching a run for governor.
Vivek Ramaswamy endorses former President Trump during a campaign event in Atkinson, New Hampshire, on Jan. 16, 2024. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images)
He dropped his White House bid a year ago after a distant fourth-place finish in the Iowa caucuses and quickly endorsed Trump, becoming a top surrogate on the campaign trail.
Ramaswamy's exit appears to clear the way for Musk, Trump's top donor and key ally, to steer DOGE without having to share the limelight.
Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are leading the effort to cut government inefficiency. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
The move also comes a couple of weeks after Ramswamy and Musk sparked a firestorm among Trump's hard core MAGA supporters over their support for H-1B temporary worker visas for highly skilled workers from foreign countries.
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Ramaswamy's comments criticizing an American culture that he said "venerated mediocrity over excellence" received plenty of pushback from leading voices on the far right.
Ohio, which was once a top general election battleground, has shifted red over the past decade as Republicans have dominated statewide elections.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/ramaswamy-done-doge-ohio-gubernatorial-campaign-launch-expected-early-next-week-sources