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Former Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has officially taken steps toward running for governor of Ohio in 202

Some shit you should know before you read: Ramaswamy, who President Donald Trump initially appointed to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with Elon Musk, quickly became a controversial figure within the administration. His tenure was overshadowed by some backlash over a post in which he argued that top tech companies often hire foreign-born and first-generation engineers over “native” Americans—not because of an innate skills gap but due to a decline in work ethic among US-born workers. The comment sparked some criticism from conservative activists and immigration hardliners, who saw it as an attack on American workers and contradictory to Trump’s “America First“ agenda. As the controversy grew, and with divisions emerging within Trump’s base, Ramaswamy abruptly announced his departure from DOGE less than two months into the role.

What’s going on now: In a key step toward a widely expected gubernatorial bid, Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign officially filed a Designation of Treasurer form with the Ohio Secretary of State, allowing him to raise funds and make expenditures. While the filing does not explicitly confirm his candidacy, Ramaswamy has strongly hinted at running, scheduling a multi-city announcement tour across Ohio later this month. If he runs, Ramaswamy will face competition in the Republican primary, where Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Heather Hill, a former member of the state’s Martin Luther King Commission, have already declared their candidacies. On the Democratic side, former Ohio Health Director Dr. Amy Acton has also entered the race.

Despite never having held elected office, Ramaswamy has already secured endorsements from Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, and Republican Senators Marsha Blackburn (TN), Rick Scott (FL), and Mike Lee (UT). Some advisors from Vice President JD Vance’s team have also joined Ramaswamy’s campaign, signaling potential support from Vance or President Donald Trump.

This all comes as recent polling from FiveThirtyEight shows Vivek Ramaswamy with a 43.3% favorability rating, while 26.1% of respondents view him unfavorably.