Vivek Ramaswamy will kick off his bid for Ohio governor in Cincinnati on Feb. 24

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Republican Vivek Ramaswamy is preparing to launch his 2026 bid for Ohio governor on Feb. 24 in his native Cincinnati, with ensuing announcements held over two days in the Columbus, Toledo and Cleveland areas, The Associated Press has learned.

The 39-year-old biotech entrepreneur, a 2024 presidential candidate who left President Donald Trump's government efficiency initiative last month, will kick off his closely watched campaign at Cincinnati's CTL Aerospace Inc. He'll then head to New Albany, outside Columbus, to deliver remarks at Axium Packaging later that evening, according to a person close to the campaign who sought anonymity to discuss the unannounced details.

On Feb. 25, Ramaswamy plans events at Glass City Center in Toledo and The Local Bar in Strongsville, a suburb of Cleveland.

Ramaswamy will enter a GOP primary to succeed term-limited Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine that's already been joined by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Heather Hill, a former member of the state Martin Luther King Commission. Former Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, long viewed as a frontrunner in that contest, dropped out of the running last month after being appointed to the U.S. Senate seat formerly held by Vice President JD Vance, a friend of Ramaswamy's since the two attended Yale Law School.

Former Ohio Health Director Dr. Amy Acton is running on the Democratic side.

As Ramaswamy seeks to overcome a lack of political or government experience, he has already secured the endorsements of two sitting Republican statewide officials: Secretary of State Frank LaRose and Treasurer Robert Sprague.

The person close to the campaign said Ramaswamy is also scheduled to speak at 30 county Republican dinners this spring. Those events will take place from March 3 through May 22.