Vivek Ramaswamy files paperwork for Ohio governor’s race: ‘Won’t be your usual gubernatorial dog-and-pony show’
Vivek Ramaswamy has kicked off his campaign to become Ohio’s next governor — and vowed it won’t be “your usual gubernatorial dog-and-pony show.”
The biotech entrepreneur and former Republican presidential candidate celebrated Valentine’s Day by filing paperwork with the Ohio Secretary of State’s office — signaling his run for the 2026 election.
Ramaswamy, 39 — a native of Cincinnati — has not yet formally announced his campaign plans but has repeatedly hinted that he was eyeing an elected office at the state level.
Vivek Ramaswamy has teased a run for Ohio governor since leaving DOGE last month.Bloomberg via Getty Images
“Big announcement in Ohio coming on Feb 24. It won’t be your usual gubernatorial dog-and-pony show,” the potential Ohio candidate told The Post Saturday.
The Republican is expected to launch his campaign on Feb. 24 at Cincinnati’s CTL Aerospace Inc. before delivering remarks at Axium Packaging outside Columbus, the Associated Press revealed Friday.
The next day, he will attend planned events at Glass City Center in Toledo and The Local Bar in Strongsville, a suburb of Cleveland.
An apparent campaign website for Ramaswamy teases “a big announcement” — and is noticeably paid for by “Vivek Ramaswamy for Ohio.”
Ramaswamy is expected to formally launch the campaign at an event in Cincinnati next week.Bloomberg via Getty Images
Ramaswamy has been hinting at a possible run for governor since ditching plans to serve with Elon Musk as co-leader of the new Department of Government Efficiency last month.
At the time, a Trump-Vance transition spokesperson told The Post that Ramaswamy’s interest in running for governor of Ohio was the reason he was departing the committee tasked with exploring ways to trim the size of the federal government.
Ramaswamy will enter a GOP primary to succeed term-limited Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine. The race includes Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Heather Hill, a former member of the Buckeye State’s Martin Luther King Jr. Commission.
Former Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted — who was viewed as a frontrunner for the race — dropped out last month after he was appointed to the US Senate seat that was formerly held by Vice President JD Vance.
Ramaswamy has already racked up endorsements from two sitting Republican statewide officials: Secretary of State Frank LaRose and Treasurer Robert Sprague.