Ramaswamy seeks Ohio governor seat in 2026

Vivek Ramaswamy, a Republican from Cincinnati, is running for governor of Ohio in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. He faces Democrat Amy Acton and Libertarian Don Kissick, according to BallotReady election data.

Ramaswamy, an entrepreneur and former 2024 Republican presidential candidate, says on his campaign website he wants to make Ohio "the most affordable, opportunity-rich state in America."

Candidate information

Full name: Vivek Ganapathy Ramaswamy
Party: Republican
Born: Aug. 9, 1985, in Cincinnati
Family: Married Apoorva Tewari in 2015; three children
Education: High school diploma, St. Xavier High School (2003); bachelor's degree in biology, Harvard University (2007); juris doctor, Yale University (2013)

Experience and public service

Ramaswamy founded Roivant Sciences and later co-founded Strive Asset Management in 2022, according to BallotReady profile data. Earlier in his career, he was a partner at QVT Financial LP from 2007 to 2014 and co-founded Campus Venture Network, where he served as president from 2007 to 2009.

He ran for the Republican presidential nomination from February 2023 through January 2024, according to Wikipedia. He was announced as co-leader of the Department of Government Efficiency in November 2024 but withdrew from that role on Jan. 20, 2025, according to Wikipedia.

On the issues

The following positions are stated by Ramaswamy on his campaign website and through BallotReady candidate responses. They reflect the candidate's own claims.

Taxes and budget: Ramaswamy says he would phase out the state income tax, starting with eliminating capital gains taxes. He also says he would slash property taxes immediately to protect families, seniors and homeowners from being priced out of their communities.

Education: He says he would implement merit-based pay for all public school teachers, principals, superintendents and administrators. He says he would raise academic standards with a focus on third-grade literacy, eighth-grade numeracy and 12th-grade civics. Ramaswamy also says he would expand career-technical education and apprenticeships and empower parents with transparency and choices over their children's education.

Energy: Ramaswamy says he would expand natural gas and deploy new energy technologies to reduce electric bills for Ohio families. Permits would be streamlined, he says.

Public safety: He says he would enforce stricter bail and sentencing for repeat violent offenders and empower local police and sheriffs. He also says he would address severe psychiatric illness so officers can focus on fighting crime.

Healthcare: Ramaswamy says he would institute work requirements for Medicaid in Ohio, according to WBAL.