Vivek Ramaswamy Wins Ohio GOP Gubernatorial Nomination

Vivek Ramaswamy won the 2026 Republican nomination for governor in Ohio, his home state, the Associated Press reports.

Ramaswamy, who drew national attention with his bid for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination before withdrawing and serving as a top surrogate for President Donald Trump, beat automotive entrepreneur Casey Putsch in Tuesday's primary.

The win positions Ramaswamy for a closely watched general election in the Midwestern battleground state.

The multimillionaire biotech entrepreneur and business leader, backed by Trump, will take on Democrat Amy Acton in November. Acton, a doctor and researcher who directed the Ohio Department of Health from 2019 to 2020, ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

The November victor will replace term-limited Republican Gov. Mike DeWine.

Ohio has trended rightward over the past decade after serving as a general election battleground. Trump won the state by 11 points in 2024, but polls show a tight race this year between Ramaswamy and Acton.

Vice President JD Vance, who represented Ohio in the Senate before resigning after his 2024 election as vice president, voted in the primary. Vance visited a polling station in Cincinnati on Tuesday morning and told reporters he cast his ballot for Ramaswamy.