Vivek Ramaswamy has won the Republican nomination for governor of Ohio on Tuesday, placing the close ally of Donald Trump on a path toward the general election in the key Rust Belt state.

He defeated Casey Putsch, a car designer known for his automotive-focused YouTube channel, to secure the party’s nomination, News.Az reports, citing BBC News.

Ramaswamy, a health-technology entrepreneur, first rose to national prominence during his unsuccessful 2024 presidential campaign against Trump. He later went on to endorse Trump and became a strong supporter.

In Ohio’s Republican primary campaign, Ramaswamy focused heavily on Democratic nominee Amy Acton, the former Ohio public health director who led the state’s Covid-19 response and ran unopposed in her primary.

In his victory speech, Ramaswamy thanked Ohio voters, saying, “for getting us to this point,” and added, “The real destination is in November.”

Acton, who will face him in the general election, said in her own victory remarks that her campaign is focused on making Ohio more affordable.

“It shouldn’t be this hard,” she said. “It is time to put working families first.”

Current Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, a Republican, cannot seek re-election due to term limits.

Donald Trump also weighed in on the race on Tuesday, posting on social media: “I know Vivek well, competed against him, and he is something SPECIAL. He is Young, Strong, and Smart!”

Vice President JD Vance, who previously served as a US senator for Ohio, travelled to Cincinnati on Tuesday to vote for Ramaswamy and other candidates.

Ohio has increasingly leaned Republican in recent years, and Ramaswamy benefited from strong name recognition as well as changes within the state GOP leadership following Vance’s rise to the vice presidency.

Ramaswamy emerged on the national political stage in 2023 as a political newcomer, gaining attention through frequent social media and podcast appearances. His rapid speaking style and sharp criticisms produced viral moments during the 2024 Republican presidential debates, although he dropped out early due to weak voter support.

After leaving the presidential race, he served as a prominent Trump surrogate during the 2024 election and took part in efforts to establish Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency before later stepping back from the project as Elon Musk assumed control.

When launching his Ohio gubernatorial campaign, Ramaswamy largely cleared the Republican primary field of major opponents and has used personal wealth to finance his bid. According to The Columbus Dispatch, he has loaned $25 million (£18.4 million) to his campaign.

The upcoming general election is expected to focus heavily on the political legacy of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Amy Acton played a highly visible role during the crisis as Ohio’s public health director. Under Governor DeWine, the state adopted a more moderate pandemic response compared to some other Republican-led states, although Ohio still imposed measures such as suspending indoor dining and delaying its 2020 presidential primary.

However, continuing political backlash over Covid-era restrictions, including masking and school closures, has become a key attack point for Republicans against Acton.

Ramaswamy recently released a campaign advertisement claiming Acton “called off Ohio’s election at the last minute, defying a judge’s order and abusing her power.”

Governor DeWine, who has endorsed Ramaswamy, publicly disputed the ad’s claims in an unusual move, saying, “I told her to issue the health order. The decision was mine,” in comments to NBC4.

The Ohio race is expected to intensify significantly in both competitiveness and spending as the November election approaches.

Meanwhile, in Indiana, seven Republican state senators who opposed Trump’s redistricting proposal faced primary challengers on Tuesday. Five Trump-backed challengers have defeated incumbents so far, one incumbent has lost, and results for the seventh race remain undecided.

Those Indiana lawmakers had previously resisted strong pressure from Trump to pass a redistricting map designed to strengthen Republican advantages in upcoming midterm elections.

Indiana, a strongly Republican state, saw 21 Republican senators join all 10 Democrats in rejecting the proposal last year, despite Trump warning that opposition could cost them their seats.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev