Ohio GOP Bucks Gov. DeWine, Endorses Vivek Ramaswamy for Governor

Vivek Ramaswamy has further tightened his hold on the GOP nomination for governor in next year’s election after the Ohio Republican Party voted to endorse him on Friday.

Despite private opposition from Gov. Mike DeWine, Ramaswamy and his allies convinced the required two-thirds of the Ohio Republican Party’s central committee to issue an endorsement in the race. After that, it was a fait accompli to win a simple majority.

The central committee – which is made up of elected party insiders – voted 51-13 to endorse in the race. It then voted 60-3 to endorse Ramaswamy, party officials said. Attorney General Dave Yost, who’s been positioning to run for governor for years, got the three votes. Yost’s wife, Darlene, spoke on behalf of his candidacy, according to a committee member.

But nobody spoke on behalf of, Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel, who has been coy about his political intentions as a potential candidate since Gov. Mike DeWine appointed him to his job earlier this year.

The votes are the latest example of the state party being in lockstep with President Donald Trump, who’s endorsed both Ramaswamy and U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, who was appointed by DeWine and has to defend the seat – left vacant by JD Vance — next year. The state GOP also endorsed Husted on Friday in a vote with little controversy, since Husted is running unopposed.

Tressel injected some last-minute intrigue into the endorsement vote after issuing a statement Thursday night saying he’s “seriously considering” a run for governor. This was a slight change from his past statements, when he’s generally said his “focus” is on his official job. This type of coded language is common from politicians when talking about their future political plans.

The party conducted debate over the endorsement and the votes themselves behind closed doors, asking media and members of the public to leave before voting. This was a departure from the party’s past practice in which similar debates occurred in public.

Alex Triantifilou, the state party chairman, said committee members decided a public debate would be to the political benefit of Democrats.

“This is a party decision, the extent to which we’re having a discussion of the pros and cons of our candidates,” Triantifilou said. “The public can make their judgment at the ballot box.”

Ramaswamy attended the meeting, waiting around for the vote and addressing the committee after securing the endorsement. Yost didn’t attend, opting instead to go to a funeral in Cincinnati for a police officer who was killed in the line of duty. Tressel also wasn’t there.

What the endorsement means Ramaswamy

Ramaswamy told reporters afterwards he views the endorsement as a show of Republican unity. The endorsement also will allow him some technical advantages within the state party system that he previously didn’t have, he said.

For instance, Ramaswamy now will be able to use the state party as a financial conduit to raise money and pay his staff, and his campaign staff will be able to work closely with the state party’s staff. Ramaswamy’s campaign also will get a discount on bulk political mailers, a perk under state law.

“There was a lot of wisdom in that room,” Ramaswamy told reporters from a hallway outside following the vote.

Now for the other candidates. The endorsement further complicates the already bleak path for Yost. It also may decrease the likelihood that Tressel enters the race.

DeWine loses battle of influence

DeWine governor and his allies worked the phones ahead of the vote and, without mentioning Tressel by name, argued it was too early to endorse. Yost also argued the party shouldn’t endorse in a letter he sent to committee members. The lobbying campaign from the governor is a subtle sign of nudging Tressel toward running for office. People around the governor generally believe he isn’t thrilled with the idea of Ramaswamy, a 39-year-old billionaire who’s campaigned as a pro-Trump populist, taking the reins of state government.

But as has been the case with his other recent political moves, the party went with Trump and other newer elements of the Republican Party.

At the beginning of the meeting, several potential 2026 candidates got special speaking slots to address the committee, under privileges current elected officials enjoy under state party rules.

Four current elected Republicans looking for new jobs next year because of term limits – Secretary of State Frank LaRose, Ohio Senate President Rob McColley, state Sen. Kristina Roegner and state Treasurer Robert Sprague – used their speaking slots to ingratiate themselves to Ramaswamy by urging the party to endorse him.

McColley and Roegner also stood next to Ramaswamy while he spoke with reporters following the vote.

“The time is now because 2026 may end up being a challenging year,” LaRose said. “We don’t know. But I think it’s good for us to get united.”