Vivek Ramaswamy just notched his next political test: Ohio Republicans have picked the biotech entrepreneur and former presidential candidate as their nominee for governor, setting up a high-dollar showdown in a state that's grown increasingly tough for Democrats. NBC News and the AP project that Ramaswamy, 40, defeated YouTube "car guy" Casey Putsch in Tuesday's primary; a third GOP hopeful was bounced from the ballot after her running mate dropped out.
- Many of Putsch's campaign messages targeted Ramaswamy's Indian American heritage. He described Ramaswamy, who was born in Cincinnati, as a "foreign national-born anchor baby billionaire," USA Today reports. In an April 14 video, he fired a rifle and challenged his rival to a game of "Cowboy vs. Indians."
In November, Ramaswamy will face Democrat Amy Acton, the former state health director who became a familiar face during the early COVID-19 response and ran unopposed for her party's nomination. The November race will decide the successor to term-limited GOP Gov. Mike DeWine, who cruised to re-election in 2022 by 25 points. Polling suggests a tighter contest this time, NBC reports. Ramaswamy enters with deep pockets and a Trump endorsement, pouring in $25 million of his own money on top of $25 million raised, and launching a $10 million ad blitz. Acton, 60, is emphasizing her upbringing in poverty and her public-health record.
,
uBlock 
,
and
Ghostery 
)
