Democrat Amy Acton defeated Republican Vivek Ramaswamy on Tuesday, flipping Ohio’s governor’s mansion blue for the first time since 2011.
Acton was projected to defeat Ramaswamy by about five points with 82% of the votes counted. Decision Desk HQ called the race around 10:30 p.m. Eastern Time. The outcome is a setback for Republicans who have won the last three presidential races in Ohio and hold a strong majority in the state legislature.
The race was defined by brutal ads and nasty personal attacks as Ramaswamy and his allies dumped at least $200 million into the race. Acton was able to overcome Ramaswamy’s financial advantage by portraying herself as a moderate focused on affordability issues.
Acton, a former head of the state’s health department, will replace term-limited Republican Governor Mike DeWine. Her influence will likely be dulled by Republican control of the state legislature.
Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur who rose to prominence when he ran against President Donald Trump for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, made a name for himself in conservative circles for speaking out against the woke corporate environment that defined the Biden era. He helped fo...