The Ohio GOP state central committee endorsed Vivek Ramaswamy in the 2026 governor’s race Friday, further solidifying Ramaswamy’s power one year out from the contested but increasingly one-man primary.
Behind closed doors and on secret ballots, more than 50 of the 66 committee members voted procedurally to make an endorsement in the primary, and then 60 voted to endorse Trump-backed Ramaswamy.
Ramaswamy said he and the Ohio GOP will now “work with a one-team mentality focused on winning in November of 2026.”
“I hope not just winning by a small margin, but winning by such a decisive margin that we have the unity not only to lead Ohio to the next level, but a governing mandate to move quickly,” Ramaswamy said.
Ramaswamy isn’t the only candidate vying to succeed Gov. Mike DeWine in January 2027, though, and it’s not too common for parties to wade into their own primaries.
Attorney General Dave Yost declared his gubernatorial candidacy in January, but has been all but shut out by fellow elected officials, who quickly fell behind Ramaswamy. Yost got three votes Friday.
And Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel—selected by Gov. Mike DeWine to take now-U.S. Sen. Jon Husted’s role over—hasn’t ruled out running either, Tressel said Thursday night.
The former national championship Ohio State football coach told NBC News, in a statement later obtained by the Statehouse News Bureau, that his wife said “it seemed God had more work for me to do, and she was right.”
Still, the committee crowded into the basement of a downtown Columbus high-rise for the hours-long meeting, much of which was held in an executive session.
Chairman Alex Triantafilou likened the secrecy to a “family discussion.”
“This is a party discussion. To the extent that we’re having a discussion, pros and cons about our candidates, the public can make their judgment at the ballot box,” Triantafilou said. “The voters can make their choice, but we absolutely should not be giving advantage to Democrats.”
Yost missed the meeting to attend the funeral of Larry Henderson, who had retired from the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office and was killed working a traffic detail last Friday.
In a statement after the vote, Yost said he will consult with his allies about what comes next. “But the people of Ohio deserve a choice, not a premature coronation of an untested candidate,” Yost added.
The committee also voted to endorse U.S. Sen. Jon Husted in his so-far uncontested race for the seat in 2026.
