Ohio GOP endorses Ramaswamy for governor

The Ohio Republican Party endorsed Vivek Ramaswamy for governor at its central committee meeting, giving the former presidential candidate another boost in his run for the state office. 

The state GOP announced its Friday endorsement of Ramaswamy in a post on social platform X shortly after its central committee voted to favor him over state Attorney General Dave Yost (R).

Ramaswamy, who made a career as an entrepreneur leading a pharmaceuticals company before entering politics, was already a favorite for the Republican nomination with support from President Trump. 

Whether the state party would back a candidate in the race seemed uncertain going into the meeting, as two-thirds of the committee members needed to vote in favor of endorsing for the party to do so.

Ramaswamy wrote in a post on X after the vote that he's grateful to receive the endorsement by a "historic" margin of 60 to 3.

"We’re laser focused on growing our Republican voter base & delivering a decisive victory in ‘26," he said. "This isn’t about left vs. right. It’s up vs. down. We’ll work hard to earn every last vote."

Yost, who was not present at the meeting because he was attending a funeral for a retired police officer who was recently killed, reportedly congratulated Ramaswamy via a statement. The campaign also said it would consider its steps forward following the endorsement.

"The Attorney General is going to take a few days to consult with key supporters about the path forward — but the people of Ohio deserve a choice, not a premature coronation of an untested candidate," Yost's campaign manager Emily Hottinger said in a statement.

Ramaswamy was anticipated as a possible candidate for governor for months before he officially entered the race in February and quickly became a favorite after getting endorsements from Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk.

The Ohio native briefly worked with Musk on Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) before stepping aside and launching his bid for governor.

He's also picked up endorsements from several big names within Ohio and nationwide, and early polling has shown him with a clear lead in a Republican primary.

But the field may expand as Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel (R) has signaled he's considering his own campaign. Term-limited Gov. Mike DeWine (R) selected Tressel, a former college football coach, as his second-in-command earlier this year after choosing former Lt. Gov. Jon Husted (R) to fill the open Senate seat left vacant by Vice President Vance.

NBC reported that DeWine was trying to prevent the state party from making an endorsement at its meeting, as one Republican leader told the outlet they believe the governor wants Tressel to run.

DeWine told NBC it is still too early for him to endorse a candidate, as it's not clear who else may be in the race. The primary will not take place for almost a year.

The moves represent another battle within the GOP between the establishment and Trump's "Make America Great Again" movement.

The Ohio party endorsing Ramaswamy didn't come as a major surprise as one party leader said in advance that he had enough votes to get its official support.

Updated at 1:40 p.m. EDT.