Vivek Ramaswamy wins Republican nomination for Ohio governor

Vivek Ramaswamy won the Republican nomination for Ohio governor on Tuesday, putting the staunch ally of Donald Trump on a path to running the Rust Belt state.In unofficial results, he defeated Casey Putsch, a car designer with an automotive-themed YouTube channel, for a place in the general election, according to US media reports.Ramaswamy, a health-technology entrepreneur, gained national recognition during his unsuccessful run against Trump for president in 2024. He later threw his support behind Trump.In the Ohio primary, even as he ran against Republicans, he focused on Democratic nominee Amy Acton, the former Ohio public health director who guided the state's response to the pandemic and ran unopposed for her party's nomination.Ohio's current governor, Republican Mike DeWine, cannot run for re-election because of term limits.Trump boosted Ramaswamy in a Truth Social post on Tuesday, writing that, "I know Vivek well, competed against him, and he is something SPECIAL. He is Young, Strong, and Smart!"Vice President JD Vance, who previously represented Ohio in the US Senate, travelled to Cincinnati on Tuesday to cast his ballot for Ramaswamy and others. The state has shifted towards Republicans in recent years, and Ramaswamy benefitted from name recognition and shuffling in the top ranks of the state's Republican Party caused by the ascension of Vance to the vice presidency.