Vivek Ramaswamy is hitching his wagon to President Trump in his bid to become Ohio’s next governor.

Ahead of the formal launch of his campaign for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, Mr. Ramaswamy is pledging to be a “key partner” with Mr. Trump and casting his rivals as Trump haters.

The former GOP presidential contender and short-lived co-head of the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency is slated to announce his bid Monday night in Cincinnati.

The Signal Akron reported that Mr. Ramaswamy sent a text to supporters that he is focused on pushing back against the “Democratic machine — at the helm in battleground Ohio,” and cast his GOP rivals as a “bunch of anti-Trump Republicans.” 

The son of Indian immigrants and tech entrepreneur, Mr. Ramaswamy has never held elected office. Still, the 39-year-old married father of two made a big splash in the 2024 presidential race, where he shook up the race with his Trump iconoclasm and willingness to take the fight to the GOP establishment.

He dropped out after finishing fourth in the Iowa caucuses. Still, he remained in the political spotlight, serving first as a top Trump campaign surrogate and then after being tapped to lead DOGE with Elon Musk.

However, Mr. Ramaswamy left DOGE after butting heads with Mr. Musk.

He then turned his attention to running for public office in Ohio, which has become GOP-friendly turf after long being considered a presidential bellwether.

The deepening red hue coincided with Mr. Trump’s political rise. The Republican Party in Ohio controls the offices of governor, secretary of state, attorney general, both U.S. Senate seats and both chambers of the state legislature.

Mr. Ramaswamy enters a Republican primary race featuring Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Morgan County businesswoman Heather Hill.

Voters will have the final say in November 2026.

• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.