Vivek Ramaswamy drops out of contention for Ohio Senate seat after DOGE appointment

On Tuesday, former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy removed himself from consideration to fill the Senate seat in Ohio that is soon to be vacant after JD Vance takes the oath of office for the vice presidency.

Earlier in the day, Ramaswamy was appointed to a job in the Trump administration's new Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE), along with X CEO Elon Musk, and removed himself from the candidates seeking the seat that Republican governor Mike DeWine will be filling in January.

Ramaswamy posted on X Tuesday evening, “And yes, this means I’m withdrawing myself from consideration for the pending Senate appointment in Ohio. Whoever Governor DeWine appoints to JD’s seat has some big shoes to fill. I will help them however I can."

In July the entrepreneur told NBC News, “To be frank, I would strongly consider it if I were asked to serve. I have not discussed this with Gov. DeWine, but, you know, I look forward to evaluating what the future holds in store. I would strongly consider it if asked.”

According to The Hill, former chairwoman of the state GOP and 2022 Ohio Senate candidate Jane Timken is the front-runner for the role.

Last week DeWine said regarding the replacement process, “A lot of people are calling. We’re just going through the process of starting to think about this and see who would be the best person.” 

He added “It has to be someone who will serve well in the Senate. I think I have a pretty good idea of what it takes,” noting that he wants someone who will focus on Ohio and national issues, has a strong work ethic, and wants to “get things done. These are qualifications I think that are very important.”