Former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has quit President Trump's Department of Government Effectiveness, a source close to the millionaire biotech entrepreneur confirmed to Fox News Digital ( DOGE) plan.
Ramaswamy and Elon Musk, the world's richest man, who was appointed by Trump to head DOGE in November, are expected to launch a Republican campaign for Ohio governor early next week, sources said.
Ohio's Republican governor, Mike DeWine, is term-limited and cannot seek re-election in 2026.
DeWine announced on Friday that Lt. Gov. Jon Husted will fill the U.S. Senate seat that has been held by former Sen. Vance, the vice president-elect who was elected earlier this month. People resigned before taking office on Monday.
Musk, Ramaswamy spark immigration battle for skilled workers
Vivek Ramaswamy attends the 60th Presidential Inauguration at the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol on Monday, January 20, 2025, in Washington. (Kenny Holston/The New York Times, AP, Poole)
Before the Senate announcement, Husted had planned to run for governor in 2026 to succeed DeWine. Ramaswamy expressed interest in serving in the Senate.
DeWine's decision to choose Husted to fill the vacant Senate seat appeared to hasten Ramaswamy's launch of a gubernatorial campaign.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announces the appointment of Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted (right) to fill the previously U.S. Senate seat held by Vice President-elect JD Vance. (AP Photo/Julie Carr Smith)
Ramaswamy, 39, launched his bid for president in February 2023, and his stock has risen as he went from favorite to contender for the Republican nomination.
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Ramaswamy, who campaigned on what he calls an "America First 2.0" agenda, is one of Trump's biggest supporters in a field of rivals, calling Trump "the most successful president of this century."
Vivek Ramaswamy supports former President Trump at a campaign event in Atkinson, New Hampshire, on January 16, 2024. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images)
He abandoned his bid for the White House a year ago after finishing a distant fourth in the Iowa caucuses and quickly endorsed Trump, becoming the campaign's top surrogate.
Ramaswamy's exit appears to clear the way for Musk, Trump's top donor and key ally, to lead DOGE without having to share the spotlight.
Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are leading efforts to reduce government inefficiencies. (Photo by Andrew Harnick/Getty Images)
A few weeks ago, Ramswamy and Musk sparked an uproar among die-hard Trump MAGA supporters by supporting H-1B temporary worker visas for foreign high-skilled workers.
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Ramaswamy's comments criticizing American culture for "valuing mediocrity over excellence" have been met with backlash from leading voices on the far right.
Once a top election battleground, Ohio has turned red over the past decade as Republicans have dominated statewide elections.