Daijiworld Media Network - New York

New York, May 6: Entrepreneur and political figure Vivek Ramaswamy has won the Republican primary for governor of Ohio, securing a commanding 87 per cent of the vote and defeating challenger Casey Putsch.

Backed by US President Donald Trump, Ramaswamy now moves into the November general election, where he will face Democratic nominee Amy Acton, who ran unopposed in her party’s primary.

The victory strengthens Ramaswamy’s position as a rising Republican figure. He previously entered the 2024 presidential race but later withdrew to endorse Trump, who subsequently appointed him to a leadership role in the proposed Department of Government Efficiency, aimed at streamlining federal operations. His tenure in that role was brief amid internal disagreements.

During the Ohio campaign, Ramaswamy faced heated and controversial exchanges from his opponent Casey Putsch, including posts that drew widespread criticism for racist undertones and misinformation about citizenship requirements.

Ramaswamy, a Yale-educated lawyer turned biotech and finance entrepreneur, built his wealth through ventures such as Roivant Sciences and Strive Asset Management. His net worth is estimated at around $2.5 billion, according to Forbes.

If elected, he would become the third Indian-American governor in US history after Bobby Jindal and Nikki Haley, and the first Hindu to hold the office.

Ohio remains a Republican stronghold, with no Democratic governor elected in over three decades and strong GOP performance in recent presidential elections. However, analysts note that rising inflation, geopolitical tensions, and shifting national sentiment could influence voter behaviour in the coming months.

Ramaswamy will now face Democrat Amy Acton, a physician who previously served as Ohio’s health director during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, setting up a high-profile contest in the state’s gubernatorial race.