The GOP primary for Ohio governor looked all but over after President Donald Trump threw his weight behind Vivek Ramaswamy for the state’s top job, more than a year before Republicans will go to the polls.
But if there’s one man who could pull off a trick play, it’s former Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel, the state’s newly-minted lieutenant governor.
Ever since Gov. Mike DeWine chose Tressel as his No. 2 following Jon Husted’s appointment to the U.S. Senate, there have been questions swirling in the Buckeye State about whether the popular Tressel could mount a real challenge to Ramaswamy — or if he even wants to.
Husted had long been expected to seek to succeed DeWine, but was persuaded to take the job in Washington after JD Vance became vice president. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost is still running for governor, but hasn’t gotten much traction. State Treasurer Robert Sprague already dropped out and backed Ramaswamy.
Ramaswamy — initially tapped to co-lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with Elon Musk — made little secret of his desire
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