With Ohio’s 2026 gubernatorial primary nearly a full year away, Vivek Ramaswamy has quickly emerged as a financial powerhouse, raising more than $8.5 million since launching his campaign in February. The haul far surpasses early fundraising by previous candidates, including Gov. Mike DeWine’s $3 million during the same period in 2021. Ramaswamy has also loaned his campaign $2 million and maintains nearly $7 million on hand. With Attorney General Dave Yost exiting the race in May, Ramaswamy currently faces no serious GOP challengers and has begun building a formidable statewide campaign operation.

Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, appointed to the seat vacated by J.D. Vance after his election as vice president, reported holding $2.65 million in campaign cash at the end of June. Though Husted has yet to formally launch a 2026 campaign, no other Republicans have entered the race, and he remains the clear frontrunner for the party’s nomination. Both Ramaswamy and Husted benefit from early financial dominance in fields that remain relatively open, positioning them strongly ahead of what are expected to be high-stakes statewide contests. 7/15/2025