Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted (R) endorsed former President Trump as the Republican candidate on Monday ahead of voting in the nation's first Iowa caucuses.
Husted said in an article: post On X, formerly known as Twitter, he claimed that President Biden's “reckless” policies have weakened the country, especially the economy and security, and that “out of control” spending has led to today's inflation. This is making it more difficult for Ohioans to pay their bills, he said.
“We need strong leadership to get America back on track. That’s why I support Donald Trump for president. He will protect our borders. And he will rebuild our national economy,” Husted said. “Trump has won Ohio twice and will likely win it again in 2024.”
Husted's endorsement comes despite the lieutenant governor's close ties to Trump's rival for the nomination, Vivek Ramaswamy.
NBC report In October, Ramaswamy first met Husted in 2019 through J.D. Vance, who attended law school and would eventually be elected to the Ohio State Senate in 2022.
Husted previously had relationships with technology-minded entrepreneurs. Ramaswamy founded the pharmaceutical company Roivant Sciences in 2014.
“Last summer, I said to someone — this was long before Vivek said he was running — I said, 'Look, this guy is going to run for president. He’s going to be great.’ And they laughed at me,” Husted told NBC. “And they texted me about a month ago and they said, 'Oh my God, you're right!'”
NBC reported that the Husteds occasionally dine with the Ramaswamys, and that Husted has encouraged Ramaswamy's candidacy. But he did not, and officially endorsed Trump on Monday.
The first votes in the 2024 race will be held in Iowa on Monday. Average polls in the Hawkeye State show Trump leading the other candidates with just over 50% of the vote. Ramaswamy, on the other hand, is in fourth place with just about 7%.
Ramaswamy, who had never been elected before, was not widely known for ranking among the top candidates in Republican primary polls, but at one point rose to third place in national polls.
But it has struggled to gain traction in recent months, hovering around No. 4 behind Trump, Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley.
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