Vivek Ramaswamy arrives as people wait for President Donald Trump to welcome the 2025 College Football National Champions from Ohio State University to the White House during a ceremony on the south lawn on April 14, 2025. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)
Another business leader, Adam Thomarios, gave $10,000 and is hosting an upcoming fundraiser after contributing nearly $17,000 to Ryan. Anthony Manna contributed $10,000 after donating nearly $25,000 to Ryan between 2005 and 2021, according to Ramaswamy's campaign. Regina Mitchell hosted a fundraiser and gave more than $13,600 to Ramaswamy after a prior $2,700 contribution to Ryan in 2017.
Jeff Edwards, the president and CEO of Edwards Companies and Installed Building Products in the Columbus area, and his wife,Lisa, gave roughly $33,000 to Ramaswamy this cycle after contributing $5,800 to Ryan in 2022.
Jai Chabria, Ramaswamy’s chief strategist, told Fox News Digital that the donor movement is about more than campaign finance. He said Ohioans who once trusted traditional Democratic leadership are embracing Ramaswamy’s message of economic growth and new ideas after decades of disappointment. In his view, voters are leaving behind "a tired model" that did not deliver and are backing someone who represents prosperity and reform.
"It's a very interesting thing where people who have been – who have donated to Democrats, and especially someone like Tim Ryan, and they're flocking to Vivek," Chabria told Fox News Digital. "There's actually a movement where people are actually moving over not just to Republicans, but to Vivek specifically because he's got such a message of growth, of economic growth."
He argued that the momentum is visible not only in financial reports but also in grassroots enthusiasm across the state.
Tim Ryan, Democratic Senate candidate for Ohio, speaks to members of the media during an election night rally in Boardman, Ohio on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. (Joshua A. Bickel/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Triantafilou stressed that Ramaswamy’s agenda has broad working-class appeal, citing his proposals on manufacturing, education and eliminating the state income tax to make Ohio more competitive. He said those ideas speak directly to middle-class Ohioans, including union workers, postal employees and delivery drivers, who could benefit from lower taxes and better economic conditions.
Generational change is also part of the message. At 40, Ramaswamy represents "a new era of leadership," Triantafilou said, contrasting him with Ryan, whom he described as emblematic of Democrats focused on cultural debates rather than the economic concerns of ordinary voters. He argued that Ryan, who lost a Senate race to then-first-time candidate JD Vance in 2022, is "yesterday," while Ramaswamy represents "tomorrow."
Republicans are already previewing the contrast if Ryan enters the governor’s race. Triantafilou criticized him as "inauthentic," accusing him of posturing as a moderate in Ohio while voting with the left in Washington. He said Democrats are out of step with voters on issues ranging from crime to education, and predicted Ryan would be outspent, outworked and ultimately defeated if he jumped in.
"Tim Ryan represents kind of what's wrong with the Democratic Party," Triantafilou told Fox News Digital. "Tim Ryan will put on a hunting jacket and be on TV, and then he goes to D.C. and votes with AOC and with the left of party."
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
For now, the Ramaswamy campaign is focused on consolidating early momentum. Events are scheduled into the fall, including an October fundraiser hosted by Thomarios in Akron, as the campaign works to expand its base across Columbus, Cincinnati, Toledo, and beyond. With record fundraising, defections from Ryan’s donor network, and the Ohio GOP’s early endorsement, Republicans say Ramaswamy has positioned himself as the front-runner in 2026.
Danielle Wallace is a breaking news and politics reporter at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to danielle.wallace@fox.com and on X: @danimwallace.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/ohio-donors-ditch-tim-ryan-pour-nearly-220k-vivek-ramaswamys-governor-bid