January 18, 2025 - 6:00pm

Vivek Ramaswamy’s planned run for Ohio governor could prove either the shrewdest political pivot of 2025 or the final gasp of a failed presidential campaign that never quite connected with its intended audience. The 39-year-old former biotech entrepreneur, recently appointed by the President-elect to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) until July 2026, now appears poised to test whether his particular brand of intellectual Trumpism can actually win elections in Trump country.

The timing couldn’t be more fortuitous. Ramaswamy’s DOGE appointment, initially viewed as an interesting consolation prize after his withdrawal from the presidential race, affords him a prominent perch from which to build credibility before Ohio’s November 2026 election. But recent controversies, particularly his misjudged remarks about American “mediocrity” driving tech companies to hire foreign workers, suggest he may be fundamentally misreading the very voters he needs to win over.

Ramaswamy’s trajectory mirrors that of another Yale Law School alumnus who successfully used Ohio electoral success as a springboard into national politics: incoming vice president JD Vance. Both emerged from elite coastal institutions to position themselves as champions of heartland values. But where Vance’s bestselling memoir established his working-class credentials, Ramaswamy’s background as a Tamil Brahmin immigrant’s son who founded Roivant Sciences strikes a markedly different — and dissonant — chord.

His Silicon Valley connections and embrace of tech-Right positions put him increasingly at odds with the economic nationalism which drives Ohio’s Republican base. When Ramaswamy recently attempted to defend Donald Trump’s appointment of Indian-born tech executive Sriram Krishnan as AI advisor, he bizarrely cited American cultural touchstones such as Saved by the Bell and Family Matters to argue that US society wrongly “venerates the prom queen over the math olympiad champ”. The response from MAGA influencers was predictably hostile.

This disconnect speaks to a broader challenge facing Ramaswamy’s gubernatorial aspirations. His debating skills and rapid-fire command of policy minutiae impressed many during the presidential primary, but Ohio voters historically tend to favour retail politicians who can connect on a personal level. They may prove unreceptive to Ramaswamy’s blend of philosophical Right-libertarianism and tech boosterism.

The Ohio GOP primary already promises to be crowded, with state Attorney General Dave Yost planning a February announcement and other familiar local faces circling. While Trump’s expected endorsement could give Ramaswamy an edge, recent history suggests such backing doesn’t always guarantee victory. Other deeply red-state voters have shown themselves perfectly willing to buck Trump’s preferences when choosing their leaders, as happened in the likes of Colorado, Utah and South Carolina last year.

Ramaswamy’s stint at DOGE offers him a chance to build a record of actual governance rather than mere rhetoric. But even this role presents risks. His mandate to streamline federal operations could put him at odds with the trade and service-sector unions that retain influence in Ohio politics. Any budget-cutting missteps which cost them pork-barrel payouts could provoke endorsements and donations for his primary and general election opponents.

The irony is that Ramaswamy’s baseline intellectual framework for “common sense” conservatism might actually resonate with Ohio’s general election voters, who have long favoured pragmatic problem-solvers over ideological purists. Yet to reach that stage, he must first navigate a Republican primary electorate who will view his tech industry ties and academic demeanour with suspicion.

Should he fail to secure the nomination, Ramaswamy risks joining the growing ranks of former Republican rising stars now relegated to guest spots as commentators on cable news. But if he succeeds in winning both the primary and general election, his pathway from failed presidential candidate to potential national leader once again opens wide. After all, Ohio remains America’s quintessential bellwether state, and its governorship has launched several presidential campaigns.

For now, Ramaswamy must leverage his position with DOGE to show Ohio Republicans that his particular brand of intellectual Trumpism can deliver concrete results for working-class voters increasingly aligning with the Right. It’s a challenge that will test not just his considerable rhetorical gifts, but also his ability to transform from Yale wunderkind and pharma bro into a genuine champion of Midwestern values. The next chapter in American conservatism may well hinge on whether he can pull it off.


Oliver Bateman is a historian and journalist based in Pittsburgh. He blogs, vlogs, and podcasts at his Substack, Oliver Bateman Does the Work

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