Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel announced late last week that he will not run for governor, clearing the way for businessman Vivek Ramaswamy to emerge as the frontrunner in the Republican primary. Tressel’s decision could also influence the Democratic field, where Tim Ryan and Dr. Amy Acton are weighing or pursuing bids.

Adding to the momentum, Ramaswamy and U.S. Sen. Jon Husted formally endorsed each other this week, cementing GOP alliances at the top of the ticket ahead of Ohio’s high stakes 2026 races for governor and U.S. Senate. 9/25/2025