Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has suspended his gubernatorial campaign after losing the state Republican Party's endorsement, the Associated Press reported. The Ohio GOP instead picked businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, who was also endorsed by President Donald Trump.
Yost, 68, announced his decision Friday, which came just a week after the party chose the 39-year-old bitcoin billionaire. In an email to supporters, Yost said he would continue to serve Ohioans "perhaps for quite a while yet."
However, it's unclear what he meant, as the Ohio Supreme Court will not be available to Yost due to age limits. Yost said he dropped out when it became "apparent that a steep climb to the nomination for governor has become a vertical cliff," the email said.
"I do not wish to divide my political party or my state with a quixotic battle over the small differences between my vision and that of my opponent. I am simply not that important," Yost added.
Trump has notched another win with the Ohio GOP's decision to pick Ramaswamy. The Buckeye State is fond of Trump and voted for him all three times he ran for president, including 2024 when he beat then-Vice President Kamala Harris by more than 10 points, the Ohio Capital Journal reported.
In fact, Ohio Republican Party Chairman Alex M. Triantafilou credited Trump's endorsement with the decision to back Ramaswamy. "The Ohio Republican Party wishes to thank Attorney General Dave Yost for his dedicated work on behalf of Ohioans," the statement began.
"Attorney General Yost has served our state with distinction. One week ago today, the Ohio Republican Party joined President Trump in proudly and overwhelmingly endorsing Vivek Ramaswamy for Governor of Ohio," Triantafilou wrote.
"Vivek's energy and commitment to Ohio offer a compelling path forward, and he presents our future. It's onward to victory in 2026," the chairman concluded.
Statement from Chairman Alex M. Triantafilou on Attorney General Yost’s decision to suspend his campaign. @ChairmanAlex pic.twitter.com/yJweZQBg95
— Ohio Republican Party (@ohiogop) May 16, 2025
Ramaswamy graciously accepted Yost's decision to step down. "Congratulations to Dave on running a thoughtful campaign. He has served Ohio with great dedication, and I am confident he will continue to play an important role in shaping the future of our state and our nation," Ramaswamy said in a statement.
However, some were not as convinced that this was a positive move. Appalachian businesswoman Heather Hill, who was similarly passed over in the primary in favor of Ramaswamy, said it was a "blatant disregard for our rights to select our next governor" to play favorites.
“My heart goes out to the Republican candidates who feel forced to drop out of the race due to the RNC/GOP’s unfair bias towards one candidate. I want to reassure Ohioans that I will not give up," Hill said in a statement at the time.
"I will fight tirelessly every day to ensure my name is heard and that I prioritize the best interests of all Ohioans," she added. The race is by no means locked up either in the primary or the general election, but Ramaswamy has the best kind of momentum.
Trump is a very influential figure in the Republican Party, whether those in his own party like it or not. The people of Ohio have spoken on their choice for president and may carry that loyalty to their choice for Ohio governor, and that's a big win for Trump.
