Ramaswamy seeks Ohio governor seat in Nov. 3 election

Vivek Ramaswamy, a Republican entrepreneur from Cincinnati, is running for Ohio governor in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election.

He faces Democrat Amy Acton and Libertarian Don Kissick, according to BallotReady election data.

Ramaswamy's campaign website says he wants to make Ohio "the most affordable, opportunity-rich state in America." His platform centers on cutting taxes, expanding energy production and overhauling public education, according to the site.

Candidate information

Full name: Vivek Ganapathy Ramaswamy
Party: Republican
Date of birth: Aug. 9, 1985
Birthplace: 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 co-founded Strive Asset Management, according to BallotReady. He worked as 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, according to BallotReady.

He ran for the Republican presidential nomination from February 2023 through January 2024. After withdrawing, he was announced as co-leader of the Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, in November 2024. He left DOGE by Jan. 20, 2025, according to WBAL.

On the issues

Taxes: Ramaswamy says on his campaign website he would phase out the state income tax, starting with eliminating capital gains taxes. He also says he would cut property taxes to protect families, seniors and homeowners.

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 focused on third-grade literacy, eighth-grade numeracy and 12th-grade civics. He also says he would expand career-technical education and apprenticeships and give parents more choices, according to his campaign website.

Energy: Ramaswamy says he would expand natural gas production and deploy new energy technologies to reduce electric bills. He says he would streamline energy project permits and remove regulations he calls unnecessary, according to his campaign website.

Public safety: He says he would enforce stricter bail and sentencing for repeat violent offenders and empower local police and sheriffs, according to his campaign website.

Healthcare: Ramaswamy says he would institute work requirements for Medicaid in Ohio, as reported by WBAL.