Photo By Christopher Dacanay 2026 Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy spoke during a meet-and-greet at St. Florian Event Center in Wintersville, just prior to the Jefferson County Republican Party Lincoln Day Dinner Wednesday.

WINTERSVILLE — Vivek Ramaswamy, a 2026 candidate for Ohio governor, plotted out his vision for prosperity in the state during a visit to Jefferson County Wednesday.

A biotech entrepreneur who ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, Ramaswamy, 39, gave the keynote address at the Jefferson County Republican Party Lincoln Day Dinner at St. Florian Event Center.

Ramaswamy is one of several candidates who’ve announced their candidacy for the gubernatorial seat, more than a year ahead of the primary election.

Joining Ramaswamy at Wednesday’s event were Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague, candidate for Ohio secretary of state; Auditor Keith Faber, candidate for Ohio attorney general, and Secretary of State Frank LaRose, candidate for Ohio auditor.

Organizers said nearly 600 people were on hand, setting a record for the Jefferson County GOP’s annual dinner.

Just prior to the dinner, Ramaswamy attended an exclusive meet-and-greet, during which he answered questions from a small gathering of citizens and elected officials and presented his aspirations if elected.

“We will once again be the state that isn’t just leading in the Midwest but is leading the entire nation, setting what I will call the Ohio standard for the United States of America,” Ramaswamy said.

The Columbus-area resident and Cincinnati native described what are, in his eyes, the most significant challenges Ohio faces: Crises of demographics, power production and education.

Ohio is seeing a decline in population because of lower birth rates and the departure of young, educated individuals, Ramaswamy said.

“We have fewer children than we’ve ever had,” he said, adding later: “You’ve got more people now moving out than in for the first time in our state’s history in a very long time.”

In the next couple of months, Ramaswamy said, he will lay out a plan that will “decisively change” that trend.

Ohio faces an energy shortage due to a discrepancy between energy production and demand, he said.

“It takes two years to build an AI data center or Bitcoin mining firm or whatever — all of which I want in the state, by the way — but it takes six years to get a permit to build a new power plant. It takes 36 months to build a new natural gas pipeline. That’s a mismatch.”

To divert the issue and prevent a future of rotating power shortages, Ramaswamy said he’d be the first governor in a long time to present an energy policy vision for the state, utilizing its own natural resources.

Ohio’s education system is failing, Ramaswamy said, claiming that students lack basic knowledge and are being outperformed by other countries’ students.

Ramaswamy’s answer includes implementing performance-based pay for teachers.

“Now, you take a big step back, and you just ask the question: ‘Are these the issues that the top elected officials in either party are really talking about?” Ramaswamy said. “The answer to that is no, which is eye-opening to me and is a big part of why I’m in this race.

He continued: “I think that, right now, we require fresh leadership, we require a new generation of leadership. … I think we’re in a time and place in Ohio’s journey right now where we need somebody who’s succeeded through entrepreneurship to bring that entrepreneurial vision into the way that we lead our state.”

Ramaswamy also spoke on his ideas for mental health care reform and desire to eliminate Ohio’s income tax.