Ohio Governor Mike DeWine is once again clashing with the conservative base—this time by reportedly asking the Ohio Republican Party not to endorse businessman Vivek Ramaswamy in the upcoming race for governor, according to NBC News.
Sources told the outlet that DeWine and his advisors are working behind closed doors to keep Ramaswamy from getting the party’s official backing. That move puts DeWine at odds with GOP leadership in Washington and with some of the biggest names in conservative politics.
Ramaswamy, a successful entrepreneur and political outsider, announced in February that he’s running for governor in 2026. DeWine can’t run again due to term limits. Soon after entering the race, Ramaswamy gained the support of President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and tech mogul Elon Musk.
Report: Ohio Governor Mike DeWine Moves to Block State GOP from Endorsing Vivek Ramaswamyhttps://t.co/NHhSLpKpoJ
— lucky one USA. (@stewdude59) May 7, 2025
Trump didn’t hold back in his endorsement, posting: “VIVEK RAMASWAMY is running for Governor of the Great State of Ohio. I know him well, competed against him, and he is something SPECIAL. He’s Young, Strong, and Smart! Vivek is also a very good person, who truly loves our Country.”
This isn’t the first time DeWine has gone against Trump. During the 2024 Senate primary, Trump backed Bernie Moreno—who went on to win—while DeWine threw his support behind state Sen. Matt Dolan, who lost.
When asked for comment on the GOP primary, DeWine’s spokesperson tried to dodge the issue, saying they’re focused on the state’s budget right now. “As far as who I endorse in the Republican primary for Governor, it is much too early, as we do not even know who all will be in the race,” DeWine said. “We are now 364 days away from the primary and 293 days away from the filing deadline. In politics, this is a lifetime!”
But folks close to Ramaswamy aren’t buying it. One ally called DeWine out for constantly opposing Trump and conservative priorities. “If Trump backs you, DeWine’s guaranteed to take the losing side,” the Ramaswamy insider said.
They added: “The establishment isn’t just out of touch — it’s out of time. And the state central committee will prove that again this Friday.”
Governor dewine of ohio is asking the GOP not to support vivek for the next governor of ohio. As an Ohio resident, id like to tell dewine where he can stick it. Vivek is way ahead in the polls and is clealy going to be the peoples choice. Dewine is deep state and scared to death
— Mbarn (@Mbarnet47176668) May 7, 2025
With Trump, Vance, and Musk in his corner, Ramaswamy has serious momentum. And if DeWine thinks he can stop that train, he might be in for a rude awakening—because the grassroots isn’t going back to business-as-usual.