COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is expected to kick off his bid for Ohio governor next week, according to multiple media sources.

Ramaswamy, 39, is stepping away from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an advisory body created by President-elect Donald Trump, to run for the governor of Ohio, NBC News reported alongside other outlets on Monday morning. The national outlet cited “two sources familiar with [Ramaswamy’s] plans.”

Trump appointed Ramaswamy to co-lead DOGE alongside Elon Musk. The organization, which is not a government agency, is tasked with improving government efficiency, and providing guidance to the White House.

“It became increasingly clear over the last week that pursuing the governor’s race and running DOGE was not compatible,” a source told NBC News. “He’s leaving on good terms with Trump, Elon and the team.”

In a gubernatorial run, Ramaswamy would likely face Attorney General Dave Yost, among others, in the primary. Among Democrats, former state health director Amy Acton has said she will run. 

While Ramaswamy challenged Trump for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, he has long been an ally of the president-elect. He endorsed Trump after ending his bid in January.

The Upper Arlington resident and Cincinnati native founded the biotech company Roivant Sciences in 2014, serving as CEO until he stepped down in 2021. In November 2024, Forbes ranked Ramaswamy as “the second-wealthiest person competing in the Republican presidential primary,” sitting only behind Trump, and estimating his net worth around $1 billion.

While 2024 marked his first presidential run, Ramaswamy has written two books exploring American politics, including the New York Times bestseller “Woke, Inc.: Inside Corporate America’s Social Justice Scam” and “Nation of Victims: Identity Politics, the Death of Merit, and the Path Back to Excellence.”