Vivek Ramaswamy received a significant endorsement for his campaign to become Ohio’s next governor when Vice President JD Vance publicly backed the Republican candidate during an appearance in Middletown on August 21. Vance praised Ramaswamy as a strong candidate and said he believed his fellow Republican would become the state’s next chief executive.
The endorsement came during an event at a Cleveland-Cliffs steel facility, where the company announced a $1 billion investment in its operations. Vance used the occasion to connect Ramaswamy’s campaign with themes central to the Trump administration, including domestic manufacturing, American workers and economic nationalism.
Vance, who spent part of his childhood in Middletown, also reflected on his family’s connection to the steel industry. He said his grandfather had worked as a welder at the facility for nearly four decades when it operated under the Armco Steel name.
Much of Vance’s remarks focused on rebuilding American manufacturing and encouraging companies to invest in domestic workers. He criticized previous approaches that allowed production to move overseas and argued that businesses should prioritize training and employing American workers.
Ramaswamy, who was born in Cincinnati, has become a prominent Indian American figure within Republican politics. The son of immigrants from Kerala, he first gained national attention during his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024. After ending that campaign, he became an ally of President Donald Trump and continued promoting the administration’s America First political platform.
Before entering politics, Ramaswamy developed a career in biotechnology and finance. He studied at Harvard University and later earned a law degree from Yale Law School. His current gubernatorial campaign places an Indian American candidate at the center of a closely watched Republican contest in a state strongly associated with both Vance and Trump.
While discussing immigration and the American workforce, Vance did not announce a new immigration policy or specifically address the H-1B visa program. Instead, he emphasized the need for businesses to develop domestic talent and expand opportunities for American workers.
Vance also shared a humorous story involving Ramaswamy’s six-year-old son, who has the same first name as the candidate. He recalled taking his son to a polling location during Ohio’s primary elections, where the child participated in a mock ballot designed for children.
The story later became the subject of an online misunderstanding after someone claimed Vance had taken Ramaswamy himself to vote. According to Vance, an AI-generated image was also circulated depicting the two walking toward a polling location.
The endorsement adds momentum to Ramaswamy’s Ohio campaign and further strengthens his connection with influential Republican leaders as he seeks the governor’s office.
