Governor Mike DeWine (R-OH), who is term-limited, appears to be taking steps to discourage Ohio Republicans from endorsing Vivek Ramaswamy in his run for governor.
DeWine and his team aim to keep the party from backing Ramaswamy, focusing instead on his own aspirations. Notably, former President Donald Trump endorsed Ramaswamy on the same day he announced his campaign.
The situation is intensifying, particularly against Trump and Vice President JD Vance, and it’s catching attention:
DeWine’s actions point clearly against Trump and Vice President JD Vance. Vance’s political team has been guiding Ramaswamy’s campaign, which underlines existing tensions within the GOP. DeWine is representing the traditional party line, seeking to hold back the surge of Trump’s influence.
Last year, DeWine and Trump had their conflicts during a high-profile GOP Senate primary that ended with Trump’s candidate, Bernie Moreno, winning. There’s talk that DeWine is looking to shape the future by considering Ohio football hero Jim Tressel for lieutenant governor, although Tressel hasn’t made any definitive moves toward running.
A Republican leader mentioned, “I think DeWine will work to curb support for Ramaswamy, as he seems keen on persuading Tressel to enter the race.”
A representative for the governor highlighted that DeWine is currently prioritizing state budget discussions.
“It’s still early. I can’t really predict who will be vying for the governorship in the Republican primary. There are still 364 days until the primary and 293 days until the filing deadline,” DeWine stated.
To secure the party’s endorsement, a candidate must obtain two-thirds of the votes from the 66-member Central Committee.
Current polls indicate that Ramaswamy is leading in the Republican primary for governor.
“I know Vivek has significant backing. He’s actively reaching out to supporters, and the governor is engaging with them too,” remarked a committee member who spoke with DeWine. However, he cautioned that achieving a super-majority is quite challenging.
A member of Ramaswamy’s team pointed out that the governor and his administration seem to be out of sync in the current Republican dynamics.
“If Trump backs you, DeWine is almost assuredly against you. The situation is shifting significantly, and the state Central Committee meeting this Friday will reflect that,” the ally stated.
Other figures expressed frustration with DeWine’s actions, feeling there isn’t a solid alternative to Ramaswamy ahead of an important gathering.
“There’s no cohesive opposition being presented,” one committee member added.
A potential challenger to Ramaswamy could be Jim Tressel, currently Ohio’s Lieutenant Colonel. Under his presidency at Youngstown State University, Tressel was a proponent of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
