Ramaswamy formally wins Republican gubernatorial nomination
And the race is on.
Vivek Ramaswamy formally won the Ohio Republican gubernatorial nomination on Tuesday, defeating nominal competition and setting up a showdown with Democrat Amy Acton, the former director of the state’s public health department, who faces ongoing criticism for her role in shutting down the state amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I know the American Dream exists because I’ve lived it right here, in the state where I was born and raised,” Ramaswamy said in a statement.
“We’re going to revive that American Dream in Ohio once again – with lower costs, bigger paychecks, and better schools for all Ohioans,” the Cincinnati native and entrepreneur added. “I am grateful to everyone who helped us win today’s election by historic margins, and I look forward to a decisive victory again in November.”
The President Donald Trump-endorses Ramaswamy, a 2024 presidential candidate, picked up the nomination, overwhelmingly knocking off Northwest Ohio business owner Casey Putsch. He is running with Senate President Rob McColley, R-Napoleon.
A third Republican candidate, Heather Hill, was removed from the ballot. Acton, who is running with David Pepper, former chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party, was unopposed in the Democratic primary.
Early polls suggest the November election could be a tight one in a state that has turned reliably Republican in recent years.
The winner will replace Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, who cannot seek reelection because ot term limits.
In another closely watched race, former U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown won the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent U.S. Sen. Jon Husted. Brown, recruited to run by liberal Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, knocked off Ron Kincaid, a software consultant and a political newcomer. DeWine picked Husted, the state’s former lieutenant governor, to fill the seat held by current Vice President JD Vance. U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno defeated Brown in 2024.
USA Today, citing Federal Election Commission filings, reported that Brown’s campaign raised $17 million in the first quarter. In comparison, Husted’s campaign reported $8.1 million.
NBC News reported that the U.S. Senate race could be one of the most expensive in the country.
