() Tech entrepreneur and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy will launch his campaign for Ohio governor on Monday.

The Cincinnati native joins Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Heather Hill in the 2026 GOP primary race to succeed term-limited Gov. Mike DeWine.

The candidates are running the former bellwether state that has shifted red in recent years, having voted for President Donald Trump in the last three elections.

Ramaswamy has never run for public office in Ohio but is positioned to be a party favorite for the governor’s seat with his connections to Trump and Vice President JD Vance, formerly an Ohio senator.

Ramaswamy has already received support from many politicians including Republican Florida Sen. Rick Scott and Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose.

Ramaswamy sought the 2024 GOP nomination for president before dropping out to endorse Trump. He was later tapped to co-chair the Department of Government Efficiency with Elon Musk but then withdrew from the position, saying the job would hold him back from campaigning.

Ramaswamy is announcing his run for governor in Cincinnati at CTL Aerospace headquarters.

Former Ohio health director Amy Acton is the sole Democrat in the gubernatorial race.