Daijiworld Media Network- Washington
Washington, Jan 16: Former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has expressed interest in filling the Ohio US Senate seat vacated by Vice President-elect JD Vance, according to multiple sources familiar with his wishes.
The 39-year-old biotech entrepreneur from Cincinnati had been considering a gubernatorial campaign in 2026, focusing on cutting federal government spending, regulations, and personnel as part of his partnership with billionaire Elon Musk leading a non-governmental effort.
In recent weeks, Ramaswamy has had discussions with President-elect Donald Trump regarding the Senate seat, with Trump reportedly approaching Ramaswamy about taking the seat to align with his goal of reducing the federal bureaucracy.
Sources with direct knowledge of Ramaswamy’s interest requested anonymity to share private discussions. Trump's transition team has yet to respond to requests for comment.
Ohio's Republican Governor Mike DeWine will appoint a successor to Vance, who was elected to the Senate in 2022 but is set to be sworn in as Republican President-elect Donald Trump's vice president.
The appointed individual will serve until December 2026 and would need to run again for the remainder of the term in November 2026.
“Neither Gov. DeWine nor our office has commented on any possible candidates for the pending appointment,” said Dan Tierney, a spokesperson for the governor’s office, in a statement.
Ramaswamy previously ran as an outsider in the 2024 Republican presidential nomination but suspended his campaign after a fourth-place finish in Iowa's precinct caucuses. Following his suspension, Ramaswamy endorsed Trump and became a prominent surrogate, headlining fundraisers in key battleground states.
Although Ramaswamy initially withdrew his name from consideration for the Senate seat, citing his involvement in leading the Department of Government Efficiency alongside Musk to significantly reduce government size and cost, he has re-entered discussions about the position.