Failed Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is reportedly planning to run for governor of Ohio. The news comes shortly after he attacked American culture for purportedly celebrating “mediocrity.”
The Washington Post reports that multiple sources close to Ramaswamy say an announcement is soon to come and that the statement “is drafted.”
Ramaswamy was a candidate for the Republican Party’s presidential nomination in 2024 but attracted very little support. He received only 0.4% of the vote in the primaries and was awarded just three delegates (of the 1,215 needed to win the nomination). By contrast, Donald Trump received 76% of the vote and over 2,000 delegates on his way to securing the nomination.
Despite a reported behind-the-scenes push from Trump, Ramaswamy was passed over by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, who announced that Lt. Gov Jon Husted would be appointed to the Senate vacancy created by now-former Sen. JD Vance, who was elected vice president.
Currently, Ramaswamy is set to co-chair the proposed Department of Government Efficiency with Elon Musk, an essentially powerless advisory commission created by Donald Trump. The two billionaires will purportedly use the group to cut government spending on social programs while also advocating for tax cuts for the wealthy.
Elon Musk
After being tapped to co-lead DOGE, Ramaswamy made his most recent controversial remarks. In December, Musk defended the use of H-1B visas to bring in skilled immigrant labor, a practice that many anti-immigrant Republicans oppose, when Ramaswamy weighed in.
“Our American culture has venerated mediocrity over excellence for way too long,” he wrote. “A culture that celebrates the prom queen over the math olympiad champ, or the jock over the valedictorian, will not produce the best engineers.”
Ramaswamy went on to cite the media portrayal of several nerdy characters on 1990s sitcoms as evidence of his claim.
The comments provoked the ire of many, including fellow failed Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, who wrote in response, “There is nothing wrong with American workers or American culture.”
When he isn’t calling American culture mediocre, Ramaswamy has been a frequent promoter of debunked conspiracy theories. He claimed that the federal government was involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, and called it an “inside job.” Ramaswamy also alleged that the 2020 election was stolen by “big tech,” and theorized that the 2024 Super Bowl was rigged to help President Joe Biden win that year’s presidential election.
On policy matters, Ramaswamy previously expressed support for former President George W. Bush’s failed plan to privatize Social Security.
Even if Ramaswamy officially announces his gubernatorial run and receives the backing of MAGA-aligned voters, it is not a sure thing that he will secure the nomination, let alone win. In 2022, Trump-backing candidate Jim Renacci ran against DeWine but failed to unseat the incumbent governor, who was then reelected.
Additionally, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, an election denier, is also running.
Ohio has been a reliable state for Republicans, but it is unclear if they will back a gubernatorial candidate with such a negative take on the American work ethic.
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