When Vivek Ramaswamy unveiled his candidacy for governor in Ohio on Monday, he made sure to cover nearly every detail of his background—so much so that he even had his childhood piano teacher and barber join him on stage to testify to his character, Politico reports. But one key aspect of his past was conspicuously left out: his brief and rocky tenure as co-leader of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a role he held for only 69 days before tensions with Elon Musk led to his departure.
This omission says a lot. Ramaswamy is making his gubernatorial run in the shadow of the upcoming 2026 midterm elections, under the influence of Trump’s second administration. It’s clear that he’s trying to gauge what resonates in a state that has shifted from a battleground to a reliably red stronghold. By leaving out DOGE, he seems to be acknowledging the potential political risks of that time—especially in Ohio, which has a significant population of federal workers who could feel the impact of the cost-cutting measures DOGE advocated.
“I know it’s going to affect a lot of people,” said Andy Mauser, a retired truck driver who supports the early efforts of DOGE but recognizes the damage its policies could cause. “It’s going to put a lot of people out of work.”
Ramaswamy’s decision not to mention his time at DOGE may be rooted in something even more personal: it would force him to confront a string of political missteps. Before he left DOGE, his allies touted his ambitions of showcasing his successes in the role on the campaign trail. Now, however, he’s a politician who’s pursued three different offices in just over a year—president, a Senate seat, and now, governor—each attempt seemingly more questionable than the last.
Andrew Belcher, a young Republican from nearby Miami University, noted that Ramaswamy’s avoidance of the DOGE subject could be due to its awkwardness, especially in a state where the program’s effects might be viewed negatively. “I guess the obvious one is that he’s probably running for governor, but there might have been some personal disagreements between him and Musk,” he said.
While Ramaswamy avoided a direct mention of DOGE, it was still alluded to during his campaign event. Secretary of State Frank LaRose and state Sen. Kristina Roegner both received significant applause when they made reference to the program. LaRose even joked about bringing “O-DOGE” to Ohio. However, when Ramaswamy railed against “unelected bureaucrats” and suggested cutting 10 regulations for every new one—a policy he had hoped to integrate into DOGE—it was the closest he came to acknowledging his brief leadership role in the department. Although advocating for cost-cutting may appeal to his Republican audience, it’s clear that avoiding certain topics might be a key strategy for his success in November.
Ramaswamy is seeking to succeed Mike DeWine, the term-limited Republican governor, a man whose style is rooted in traditional GOP values. Dave Yost, Ohio’s attorney general, is also in the race and has made Ramaswamy’s short-lived DOGE tenure a point of contention. Yost was quoted by the Washington Post, accusing Ramaswamy of abandoning Trump “literally on Day 1” of his administration. However, Ramaswamy didn’t directly counter this claim in his campaign launch; instead, he focused on policy proposals like banning cell phones in schools and tied himself closely to Trump. The former president endorsed him on social media, signaling a strong alliance.
Ramaswamy reflected on his role in supporting Trump, claiming he spent “most of the last year” working to return Trump to power, skipping over the failed primary campaign that ended after the Iowa caucuses last January. He emphasized that, just as Trump is “reviving our conviction in America,” he aims to “revive our conviction in Ohio.” And with a wry smile, he added, “If I screw something up in this speech, I can’t blame my speechwriter. Because you’re looking at him.”
{Matzav.com}