Republicans are in complete panic mode over President Donald Trump’s handpicked candidate for Ohio governor, Vivek Ramaswamy, whose campaign is facing the threat of total collapse.
A Republican strategist involved in national GOP spending decisions told New York magazine about the chaos inside the team.
“We’re at DEFCON 1 as of a month ago, and I think it’s only getting worse by the day.”
He told the publication that the “red flags” began earlier this year. A dramatic reversal for Ramaswamy, the biotech billionaire and failed presidential candidate who Trump endorsed in February 2025. Ohio Republicans backed him well before the primary, and it seemed like smooth sailing into Congress, as Ohio hasn't elected a Democratic governor in two decades.
However, Democrat Amy Acton is steaming ahead in several polls as Ramaswamy campaign goes from bad to worse. A Marist poll released Tuesday showed Acton leading 50% to 43% among likely voters, while the RealClearPolitics polling average had her up by about 4 points, clearing the margin of error.
The Cook Political Report has moved the contest from likely Republican to a toss-up, and Republican strategists also worry that Ramaswamy’s missteps will make GOP voters stay at home.
Per the report, some GOP insiders believe the Trump-picked candidate may have been a mistake and could cost them a coveted political position in the state. The magazine reported that many regret their choice, with some believing Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost or Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel would have been stronger candidates.
Ramaswamy’s campaign hit rock bottom after a disastrous $4 million attack ad featuring Acton’s estranged mother, Donna Arthur, accusing her daughter of being a liar.
Court documents have shown that Acton’s stepfather was charged with sexually abusing the Democrat candidate when she was 12, and her mother abandoned her and remained with him until he died.
“It’s not surprising that Vivek Ramaswamy has stooped to such a despicable low as to attempt to turn the sexual abuse Amy endured at twelve years old from our birth mother’s husband into a political talking point,” Acton’s brother stated, continuing:
“After he was arrested and Amy and I were removed from custody, our birth mother stayed married to Amy’s rapist until he died.”
The decision to feature Acton’s biological mother backfired, with critics coming from Ramaswamy’s own party as well as Democrats.
His fellow GOP candidate in Ohio, Senator Jon Husted, distanced himself from the commercial, saying, “I would not have run that ad.” Former Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley also criticized Ramaswamy. However, Vice President JD Vance, who was the former governor of the state, refused to condemn him, drawing backlash.
Per the report, Ramaswamy’s wealth has also worked against him as rural voters question if he can relate to the working class in the state.
With Trump’s approval rating at the worst of his political career, the endorsement may have also affected Ramaswamy negatively
Trump and Vance have returned to Ohio to boost their ally, but it is unclear whether they could persuade voters to back him.
