Vivek Ramaswamy Surprises as Candidate for Vance’s Former Senate Seat

CLEVELAND: So, it looks like Vivek Ramaswamy is making waves in Ohio politics. He’s chatting about possibly taking over JD Vance’s Senate seat. This is a bit of a twist since he had previously said he wouldn’t be in the running because of his role with Trump’s government efficiency team.

Last weekend, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine had a sit-down with Ramaswamy about the vacancy. Apparently, Trump is nudging Ramaswamy to go for it if DeWine offers him the spot. It’s all a bit hush-hush, though, as neither DeWine nor Ramaswamy’s teams are spilling any beans.

Ramaswamy, who hails from Cincinnati but now lives near Columbus, has been a key player in DeWine’s thoughts on who should fill Vance’s shoes. Vance stepped down last week to take on the vice presidency. Ramaswamy is also eyeing a run for governor next year, but he’s not the only one; Lt. Gov. Jon Husted is in the mix too.

The GOP primary could get messy with both of them in the race. DeWine might even consider appointing Husted to the Senate seat to help his buddy’s future. Whoever gets the nod will need to win a special election in 2026 to finish Vance’s term.

Husted has been the frontrunner for a while, but he’s been focused on his governor campaign and seems hesitant about the Senate gig. DeWine is expected to announce his pick soon, with other names like former state GOP chair Jane Timken also in the conversation.

It’s a bit puzzling why Ramaswamy would want to leave Trump’s team before it even kicks off. He’s stirred some controversy lately, especially with his comments on H-1B visas, which have ruffled some feathers in Trump’s camp. A source close to Trump mentioned that he might be ready for Ramaswamy to take on a new role, hinting that Trump is looking for a change.