Ramaswamy’s campaign touts ‘unprecedented fundraising momentum’

Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign is trumpeting what it says is “unprecedented fundraising momentum” in the lead-up to November, reporting raising more than $30 million in its pre-primary filing.

While the total includes $5 million from donors, Ramaswamy contributed $25 million, matching the campaign’s total amount raised thus far and fulfilling a personal financial commitment he made last July. The totals, released on Tuesday, do not include any money raised by outside, pro-Ramaswamy groups.

“No gubernatorial campaign in Ohio history has ever put up numbers like this, and it sends a clear message: Ohioans are fired up for Vivek, our campaign is growing, and we will win big in November,” Campaign Manager Jonathan Ewing said in a statement.

The campaign of Ramaswamy’s presumptive Democratic rival, Democrat Amy Acton, who served as the director of the Ohio Department of Health during the COVID-19 pandemic, blasted the move, even as it refuses to answer questions about her record during the COVID pandemic.

“Vivek Ramaswamy and his allies are panicking because Ohioans are rejecting his scam proposals that would raise costs for working families, gut funding for schools and public safety, and make life even harder for Ohioans,” Amy Acton Campaign Manager Phil Stein said in a statement.

“He can continue throwing money at his campaign from the seat of his private jet, but Ohioans see right through his false promises,” Stein added. “We’re building a grassroots campaign powered by supporters from every corner of this state. While our opponent tells Ohio that affordability is just a ‘buzzword’, Amy is fighting to make life better for Ohio’s working families by lowering costs, tackling corruption and building a state where everyone can get ahead.”

November’s race looks to be a tight one. While the non-responsible Acton campaign appeared to jump to an early lead, the Ramaswamy campaign is pointing to two recent polls — from Bowling Green State University and Echelon Insights — showing a slight advantage. They say the positive polling news precedes his plan to spend on delivering his messages across the state in the upcoming months.

In March, Ramaswamy’s campaign launched a $10 million statewide ad buy, focusing on “Lower Costs, Bigger Paychecks, Better Schools.” The campaign still has more than $30 million cash on hand and says it is building on that number with massive small-dollar digital fundraising and large fundraisers planned across the state.

Ramaswamy is holding a “seven-figure fundraiser” in Columbus this Thursday.

Ramaswamy faces a nominal primary for the Republican nomination and has been the frontrunner since receiving President Donald Trump’s endorsement on the first day of the campaign and the Ohio Republican Party in May 2025. Ramaswamy has also picked up the support of labor and trade unions across Ohio, including several that generally support Democrats in statewide races.

Meanwhile, Acton is facing renewed scrutiny for her record during the pandemic, even as her former boss, current Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, appears to be covering for her. DeWine has tried to downplay her role in closing the state government in 2020 and postponing a primary election.

“Amy Acton lied to Ohioans about Covid, she lies about Vivek every day, and now we’re learning that she lied about her own past. Voters across Ohio will soon learn about her failed record and her dishonesty—and it’s far worse than imagined,” Ewing said.