Vivek Ramaswamy Has Selected His Running Mate

Ohio’s Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy selected Senate President Rob McColley as his pick for lieutenant governor in this year’s election, prompting approval from a number of state Republican and conservative leaders.

Henry Gomez with NBC News first confirmed the pick on Tuesday night. He also referenced a Monday night column from McColley published in The Columbus Dispatch, “Vivek Ramaswamy loves America and Ohio. ‘Identity politics’ be damned.”

Ramaswamy will give a special address in Cleveland on Wednesday evening, and is expected to make the official announcement of McColley in front of supporters.

Current and former Ohio state legislators and conservative leaders swiftly approved the selection of McColley, casting him as well-liked, an effective leader, and a conservative legislator especially on the issues of education and taxes.

The president of the Ohio-based Center for Christian Virtue, Aaron Baer, celebrated the “OUT OF THE PARK PICK” on Tuesday night on X.

Baer shared the stage with McColley and The Daily Signal President Rob Bluey last October, at a summit in Columbus hosted by the Center for Christian Virtue. McColley and Bluey spoke with Baer and took questions on family policy and the government shutdown.

Several other Ohio political figures shared their excitement with The Daily Signal.

“Senate President McColley is an incredible pick for Vivek as they work to build a state of excellence,” state Rep. Adam Mathews told The Daily Signal. “From tax cuts to regulation reform to affordability, these two have the bold vision and the practical skills to best lead Ohio.”

State Rep. Gary Click also spoke highly of McColley to The Daily Signal.

“Out of a crowd of super qualified candidates, Vivek made a strong pick for L.G.,” he shared. “Rob McColley makes a great ticket even greater. The first major choice a governor makes is who will be his running mate. Vivek nailed it and the future of Ohio grew just a little bit brighter tonight.”

Click added that “McColley is a proven leader who we know will bring results because he already has a history of doing so.”

Others initially speculated to be picks for lieutenant governor also celebrated the news on social media.

Secretary of State Frank LaRose, who is running for state auditor, called McColley a “conservative champion.”

State Sen. Kristina Roegner, who is running for treasurer, praised McColley as an “EXCELLENT choice.”

Ohio Republican Party Chairman Alex Triantafilou, who will be among those present in Cleveland on Wednesday for the official announcement, released a statement praising McColley and referenced being “united,” a sentiment he’s stressed before regarding this race.

He also highlighted Ramaswamy’s fundraising numbers, with the candidate raising nearly $20 million in 2025.

Triantafilou referred to McColley as “a young yet highly seasoned legislator who knows how to get things done in Columbus.” McColley is 41 and has served time in both state legislative chambers since 2015.

Sen. Jon Husted, a Republican who has served in U.S. Senate since last January, congratulated McColley on X on Tuesday night and referenced their “shared roots in northwest Ohio.”

Husted previously served in many roles in Ohio state politics, including most recently as lieutenant governor. He is running for re-election this November, and appeared at an event with Ramaswamy in September where the two endorsed each other.

Donovan O’Neil, the state director for Americans for Prosperity for Ohio, highlighted the selection as an “OUTSTANDING pick” and also referenced how McColley earned the organization’s Taxpayer Torch Award in 2019.

The Cook Political Report has rated the gubernatorial race as “Likely Republican,” giving Ramaswamy a significant edge. Some polls have shown a potentially tightening race between Ramaswamy and Democratic candidate Amy Acton, however.

On Wednesday morning, NBC reported that Acton picked David Pepper, a former Ohio Democratic Party chair, to be her running mate.

Current Republican Gov. Mike DeWine has already served for two terms and cannot run for a third consecutive term, according to state law. He endorsed Ramaswamy for governor on Wednesday.

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