Vivek Ramaswamy won the Republican nomination for Ohio governor in Tuesday's primary and will face Democrat Amy Acton in the November general election, according to CBS News and ABC News projections.
Tuesday's primary pitted Ramaswamy — a biotech billionaire who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination — against auto engineer Casey Putsch, whom he defeated. A ruling by the Ohio Supreme Court voided all votes cast for a third candidate, Morgan County school board member Heather Hill, after her running mate exited the race — state law mandates that gubernatorial and lieutenant governor candidates appear as a joint ticket, according to CBS News.
What had once looked like a competitive Republican contest collapsed early: Yost, the former Ohio attorney general, exited after both the state party and Trump threw their weight behind Ramaswamy, while longtime Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel chose not to enter at all. On Truth Social, Trump reinforced his backing by calling Ramaswamy "Young, Strong, and Smart" and "something SPECIAL," according to ABC News.
In his victory speech, Ramaswamy addressed attacks on his personal wealth. "I believe in celebrating success," he told ABC News. "I was not born a billionaire. I was not born a millionaire. I was not born an anything-aire."
Acton centered her remarks on economic concerns while weaving in details from her own life story, including a childhood marked by foster care and homelessness. "I know what it is like to struggle, and Ohioans need someone fighting for them, not the self funding billionaires and self interests," she said, according to ABC News. Acton first became a widely recognized figure in Ohio when DeWine appointed her to lead the state's public health agency and she took a prominent role guiding the state's early pandemic response.
Campaign finance filings show that heading into April, Ramaswamy's war chest stood at $30 million — the product of $5 million raised in the first quarter of 2026 and a $25 million personal loan, according to CBS News. Acton's fundraising matched Ramaswamy's earned total at $5.1 million for the quarter, though her cash on hand trailed significantly at $3 million.
Ohio resident and Vice President JD Vance announced Tuesday that his ballot went to Ramaswamy, according to CBS News. The governor's seat is open because DeWine has reached his term limit, and the state has been trending Republican — Trump's 2024 margin of victory there was 11 points.
Trump had originally selected Ramaswamy to share leadership of DOGE with Elon Musk, but Ramaswamy's tenure lasted only through inauguration day — a DOGE spokesperson attributed his exit to a desire to pursue the Ohio governorship, according to CBS News.