Washington — Vivek Ramaswamy is planning to launch a campaign for governor in Ohio next week, while parting ways with President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), according to sources familiar with his plans. Ramaswamy had previously been involved in establishing DOGE, a spending watchdog group alongside Elon Musk. However, due to the requirements of his intended campaign, it became clear that running for office and running DOGE were no longer compatible, leading Ramaswamy to leave the group.
A spokesperson for the Trump transition team, Anna Kelly, praised Ramaswamy’s contributions to the establishment of DOGE and wishes him well on his new campaign. Ramaswamy has been a close ally of President Trump and a vocal supporter during his 2020 presidential election campaign. A wealthy biotech entrepreneur, he had initially been a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 2023 before shifting his focus to aid Trump in various efforts.
It is believed that Ramaswamy’s potential entry into the Ohio gubernatorial race could heavily impact the candidates already planning their bids, which include two sitting state officials – Lt. Governor Jon Husted and state Treasurer Robert Sprague. Meanwhile, on the Democratic side, former health director, Amy Acton, has formally announced her bid for governor against the expected opposition from Ramaswamy.
