Republican gubernatorial nominee Vivek Ramaswamy is getting an encouraging sign as Ohio’s closely watched race for governor enters its final two months.
A Fox News poll conducted Aug. 6-10 found Ramaswamy leading Democratic nominee Amy Acton 50% to 48% among registered voters. The two-point margin falls within the survey’s three-point margin of error.
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A separate Wedgewood Polls survey conducted in August found Acton ahead 47% to 46%, underscoring how competitive the contest remains.
Ramaswamy, a Cincinnati-area entrepreneur who gained national prominence during his 2024 presidential campaign, entered the gubernatorial contest with President Donald Trump’s endorsement and went on to secure the Republican nomination in May.
He is seeking to succeed term-limited Republican Gov. Mike DeWine.
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Acton, a physician and former director of the Ohio Department of Health, became one of the state’s most recognizable public officials during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Her tenure during that period has become a major dividing line in the campaign, with Republicans criticizing restrictions imposed while she led the department and Democrats emphasizing her public-health experience.
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Ramaswamy has focused his campaign on lowering costs, attracting businesses and high-paying jobs, improving education and changing parts of Ohio’s criminal justice system.
He has also sought to cast the election as a choice over the direction of a state where Republicans have dominated statewide politics for years.
The Ohio Chamber of Commerce Political Action Committee endorsed Ramaswamy, continuing the organization’s history of supporting Republican gubernatorial candidates including DeWine and former moderate GOP Gov. John Kasich.
The Chamber said its support reflected confidence in Ramaswamy’s economic and job-creation agenda.
🚨BREAKING: Vivek Ramaswamy is set to win against Amy Acton in the Ohio governor’s race by 2%.
Ohio – 2026 governor
🟥Vivek Ramaswamy 50% (+2)
🟦Amy Acton 48%See all OH governor polls @Pollsmax.
This is the first major poll after the primaries that Ramaswamy has led in.… pic.twitter.com/LnCsrqQ0kf
— Election Time (@ElectionTime_) August 17, 2026
Ramaswamy has also put substantial personal resources behind his campaign.
Campaign finance reports show he loaned his campaign more than $25 million, providing him with a sizable financial reserve heading into the general election.
Outside groups supporting Ramaswamy are spending heavily as well.
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Elon Musk contributed $5 million to V-PAC: Victors, Not Victims, a super PAC established to support Ramaswamy’s gubernatorial bid.
Musk and Ramaswamy previously worked together during the early formation of the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency.
The Musk contribution adds to millions of dollars already supplied by wealthy donors supporting Ramaswamy. Investor Jeff Yass has contributed $20 million to V-PAC, according to campaign finance reporting, while other major donors have provided millions more.
The super PAC has committed heavily to television advertising and other efforts designed to promote Ramaswamy across Ohio.
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The financial landscape surrounding the race comes amid broader changes to campaign spending rules.
On June 30, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down federal limits on coordinated spending between political parties and their candidates, ruling that the restrictions violated the First Amendment.
The decision gives national and state party committees greater freedom to spend in coordination with federal candidates.
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The Supreme Court also intervened Sept. 4 in a separate dispute over discounted television and radio advertising rates, temporarily allowing party committees to continue benefiting from lower broadcast rates while the litigation proceeds.
Republicans entered the final stretch of the midterms with a substantial fundraising advantage at the national party and congressional committee levels.
For Ramaswamy, the combination of a closely divided electorate, a large campaign war chest and significant outside spending ensures that the Ohio governor’s race will remain one of the most heavily financed and closely watched statewide contests heading into November.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
