Ohio heads to polls as Ramaswamy aims to secure Republican gubernatorial nomination
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Former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is seeking to solidify his position as the Republican nominee in the Ohio governor race.
The Trump-endorsed biotech entrepreneur has concentrated much of his campaign on the November election, preparing for a costly contest against Dr. Amy Acton, a former state health director running unopposed for the Democrats.
Ballots also include contests that will shape Ohio’s third competitive US Senate race in four years, along with several US House races expected to be closely contested in the fall.
All statewide executive offices are open this year due to term limits, but the governor’s race has drawn the most attention so far, according to AP.
Ramaswamy, a 2024 GOP presidential primary candidate, emerged on Ohio’s political scene early last year. At that time, then-senator JD Vance was ascending to the vice presidency, and front-running gubernatorial candidate Jon Husted was appointed to replace him in Washington.
Though new to state politics, Ramaswamy’s national profile, tech industry ties, and proximity to Trump earned him the Ohio Republican Party’s endorsement. This endorsement helped him overcome a prospective field that included the sitting state attorney general, state treasurer, and lieutenant governor. However, he still faces a long-shot challenge from car designer and YouTube personality Casey Putsch.
“[Ramaswamy] is a polarizing figure,” said Jessica Taylor, an analyst for the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, which forecasts US elections.
“What certainly indicated to me that there’s just a likability problem for him was anytime you see a candidate’s first ad featuring their wife and children. It certainly looks like it’s trying to soften his image as a candidate.”
Meanwhile, Donald Trump has warned that Iran will be “blown off the face of the earth” if it attacks US vessels attempting to reopen a route through the Strait of Hormuz. The US launched an operation to assist hundreds of ships trapped with their crews in the Gulf, escalating tensions toward full-scale war. The US military claimed to have destroyed six Iranian small boats and intercepted Iranian cruise missiles and drones, though Iran denied these claims. More.
The Trump administration has moved to block a lawsuit filed by Minnesota officials nearly six years ago, alleging oil companies and a petroleum trade group misled state residents about climate change. The Justice Department filed an action in federal court in Minneapolis, arguing that the federal government—not states—has authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, and that Minnesota officials are improperly imposing their policy preferences nationally.
The US Supreme Court recently facilitated Louisiana Republicans’ efforts to redraw congressional maps ahead of this year’s midterm elections. This procedural move occurred less than a week after the court’s landmark decision invalidated Louisiana’s congressional map and weakened Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.
The Trump administration continues to pressure the United Nations and the international aid sector to adopt trade-focused policies benefiting US firms or face further budget cuts. During Trump’s second term, USAID has experienced mass layoffs and had its remaining operations integrated into the State Department, causing global ripple effects that experts warn could cost thousands of lives as vital programs are cut. More.
The administration’s attack on the 87-year-old food aid program supporting tens of millions of low-income Americans escalated last week when Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins claimed that 14,000 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients owned luxury vehicles such as Ferraris, Bentleys, and Teslas. More.
At a Pentagon press conference, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed ongoing developments in the conflict with Iran, specifically the naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.
“To Iran, let innocent ships pass freely,” Hegseth said. “These international waters belong to all nations, not to Iran, to tax toll or control, to our partner, partners, allies and the rest of the world.”
Hegseth reiterated threats of strong retaliation if Iran attacks any US warships or commercial shipping in the vital waterway.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio anticipates a “frank” meeting with Pope Leo during a Vatican visit this week, according to US Ambassador Brian Burch.
“Nations have disagreements, and I think one of the ways that you work through those is ... through fraternity and authentic dialogue,” Burch said.
“I think the secretary is coming here in that spirit, to have a frank conversation about US policy, to engage in dialogue.”
Trump has recently criticized the first US-born pope, drawing backlash from Christian leaders across political lines.
Voters in Indiana are also heading to the polls in a test of the Republican Party’s resilience after state lawmakers resisted Trump’s aggressive campaign to pressure them into redrawing congressional districts.
The vote has evolved into a statewide referendum on political retribution.
Seven state senators who opposed Trump’s mid-decade redistricting push now face challengers endorsed by the president, who stated that “every one of these people should be primaried” after the effort failed.
Trump-aligned dark money groups have spent over $7 million on TV ads in Indiana this year, mostly targeting Republicans who allied with Democrats in the December redistricting vote, according to AdImpact.
Greg Goode, a first-term Republican representative from Terre Haute, faces a competitive race in District 38 against city council member Brenda Wilson—who has backing from both Governor Mike Braun and Trump—as well as a third candidate, Alexandra Wilson, unrelated to Brenda.
Goode voted against Trump’s redistricting push after hosting a public hearing where 71 people spoke against the revision and none in favor.
Jim Buck, a state senator from Kokomo with 18 years in office, also faces a Trump-backed challenge.
“We’ve never had Washington meddle into our elections like they have this time,” Buck said. “Now I’ve got over $1 million against me in one race.”
One attack ad targets the 80-year-old public servant by calling him “old, pathetic, liberal.”
Ohio voters select candidates ahead of midterm elections
Ohio voters on Tuesday are selecting candidates for November’s midterm elections. The state is expected to play a significant role in determining whether Republicans maintain control of Congress for the final two years of the presidential term.
The highest-profile race is Ohio’s Senate special election, where Democrat Sherrod Brown seeks to unseat Republican incumbent Jon Husted and return to the Senate after failing to win re-election in 2024. The winner will serve the remaining two years of the term originally won by JD Vance in 2022 before he became vice president last year.
Republicans in northwest Ohio will also select their nominee to challenge Democratic Representative Marcy Kaptur, the longest-serving woman in congressional history. Her district, centered on Toledo, has become more conservative following new maps approved last year by a state redistricting commission.
Additionally, Ohioans will choose candidates to replace Republican Governor Mike DeWine, who is term-limited. Biotech entrepreneur and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is the Republican frontrunner, while former state health department director Amy Acton leads the Democrats.
Once a swing state that decided the 2004 presidential election for Republican George W. Bush before supporting Democrat Barack Obama in his two victories, Ohio has trended increasingly Republican since Trump’s rise as party leader.
