That’s one less candidate running for governor in Ohio in 2026.
Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague said he would endorse Vivek Ramaswamy should the entrepreneur and Cincinnati native run for governor. Sprague would instead run for Secretary of State in a bid to replace Republican Frank LaRose, who is term-limited and cannot run for the post again.
“Ohio is not broken, but there are things in Columbus that need to be fixed,” Sprague said in a video posted to social media. “And let me tell you, we need to eliminate the income tax in our state once and for all. Ohio should be a state where you keep what you earn.
“Also, we need to lift people up and out of poverty, help them write their own story and get them not just the skills that allow them to get a good job in our state, but rather a great career in the Buckeye State,” Sprague added. “And finally, we need to reform our energy policy—make it work for you, the people of the state of Ohio, instead of all the special interests in Columbus.”
Sprague is similarly term-limited. Although he had already filed paperwork for his gubernatorial run, his decision not to seek the office is the latest sign that Ramaswamy will soon join the race.
“There’s one man that shares this vision of turning our state around and creating a renaissance in the state of Ohio, and that man is Vivek Ramaswamy,” Sprague said in the video. “And should he enter the race for governor, I’m going to support Vivek in his run for governor because I support his intellect, his drive, the outsider mentality that he has in trying to reform our state and move us forward and charting a new direction for all of us.”
Ramaswamy re-posted the video on X.
With Sprague’s bowing out, the 2026 gubernatorial race is taking shape. Two other high-profile candidates have already joined the race.
Republican gubernatorial candidate and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost touted his more than $1 million fundraising haul in the second half of 2024. Yost said he now has nearly $2.5 million in his campaign account.
Dr. Amy Acton, the controversial former state health director during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, is running for governor as a Democrat. She could face a crowded primary that could include former Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown and former Democratic U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan.
Ramaswamy was previously seen as a potential pick for the U.S. Senate seat Vice President J.D. Vance vacated. He purportedly met with Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine about the vacancy, but the governor tapped Lt. Governor Jon Husted to fill the seat.
President Donald Trump appointed Ramaswamy and fellow entrepreneur Elon Musk to lead the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which focuses on reducing excessive regulations and wasteful spending. However, Ramaswamy left DOGE, sparking speculation that he could soon enter the race for Ohio’s top elected office.
The secretary of state race is similarly shaping up to be one to watch in 2026.
Former Republican state lawmaker Niraj Antani of Miamisburg announced last month that he would seek the office, citing his family’s experience living in India under British rule, where they didn’t have the opportunity to cast a ballot. Warren County oncologist Bryan Hambley has also announced his run on the Democratic side, saying he is running because “he has seen how his patients and our communities suffer from a broken and gerrymandered democracy.”
State Sen. Theresa Gavarone, R-Bowling Green, is also considering running for the office, according to various reports.
Additionally, Republican Ohio Auditor Keith Faber has announced his run for attorney general in 2026.
