When Vivek Ramaswamy formally launches his expected bid to succeed Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R), the biotech entrepreneur and former presidential candidate appears on track to become the favorite for the Buckeye State’s governor’s mansion.

Ramaswamy boasts national name recognition from his firebrand bid for the White House in 2024 and, even before launching, new polling from a pro-Ramaswamy firm shows a majority of Ohio Republican primary voters would get behind him in 2026.

Some of Vice President Vance’s top political advisers also joined on this week to steer Ramaswamy’s soon-to-be-announced campaign, a promising sign that he could snag a key endorsement from Vance or President Trump — though he'd likely face candidates who have longstanding political ties in the state.

“He'll need to do the work to get around,” said one Republican strategist in the state. “But listen, if he gets the Trump-Vance endorsement, I think it's very tough. I think it's over.”

Ramaswamy is expected to launch his campaign mid-February, a source familiar confirmed.

New polling obtained by The Hill from Fabrizio, Lee & Associates found Ramaswamy with a “huge lead” over his potential competitors, winning 52 percent of the state’s GOP voters in a hypothetical primary ballot. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost (R), the first major candidate to declare a run, was in second place with 18 percent.

“In no uncertain terms, Vivek Ramaswamy is the overwhelming frontrunner to be the Republican nominee for Governor in Ohio, and he’ll only be buoyed by his pro-Trump and America First policies and ideas,” the pollster wrote in a memo.

That pollster is notably an alum of both the Trump campaign and of Vance’s 2022 Senate bid. He is also among several Vance allies and advisers who are joining Ramaswamy’s team.

Those gets are “a pretty big indicator” that Ramaswamy could enter the governor’s race in the strongest position, the Ohio strategist said.

Ramaswamy also pulled in a pre-launch endorsement this week from Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), who

© The Hill