Why did GOP back him? Vivek Ramaswamy gets torched by Ron DeSantis after Ohio rout

Ron DeSantis criticised Vivek Ramaswamy after his decisive defeat in the Ohio governor's race. His remarks sharpened Republican scrutiny of candidate fit, immigration policy and congressional strategy.At the heart of DeSantis’ criticism was whether Ramaswamy was the right fit for Ohio. (Photo: Reuters)Florida's outgoing Governor Ron DeSantis has taken a swipe at Vivek Ramaswamy after the Republican suffered a heavy defeat in the Ohio gubernatorial race, questioning why the party chose a candidate he believed was out of step with the state's working-class voters.Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur and former Republican presidential candidate, lost to Democrat Amy Acton by 7.9 percentage points. The result was particularly damaging for Republicans because Ramaswamy had been backed by President Donald Trump and received support from the inner circle of Vice President JD Vance.Speaking on the Sage Steele Show, DeSantis said that Ramaswamy's background and political positions made him a poor fit for Ohio, which has long had a strong industrial and working-class identity. "I don't know why they would have pushed him to be the candidate there. Oh, my mom's from Youngstown. Ohio is a working class state, very blue collar. You know Vivek, he's like a tech guy," DeSantis said.WHY DESANTIS THINKS RAMASWAMY MISSED THE MARKAt the heart of DeSantis’ criticism was whether Ramaswamy was the right fit for Ohio. He built his national profile as a technology and biotechnology entrepreneur before entering Republican politics. He founded Roivant Sciences and later co-founded investment firm Strive Asset Management. DeSantis argued that this business background did not necessarily translate into an appeal among Ohio voters who work in manufacturing, industry and other traditional blue-collar sectors. He also pointed to Ramaswamy's position on the H-1B visa programme, which allows US employers to hire skilled foreign workers.Ramaswamy has advocated replacing the existing lottery-based system with a merit-based model and previously argued that the current system should be "gutted". For DeSantis, that position was another potential liability in a state where immigration and competition for jobs can resonate strongly with working-class voters."He wants to bring in foreign workers on visas. That is not the type of person that's going to sell," DeSantis said.RAMASWAMY'S H-1B POSITION BECAME A TARGETThe criticism also carries an element of irony because companies associated with Ramaswamy have themselves used the H-1B programme. Roivant Sciences had 29 H-1B applications approved between 2018 and 2023, according to the figures cited in the campaign debate. Ramaswamy has defended his approach by arguing that the existing system should reward highly skilled workers rather than rely on a lottery.Meanwhile, Strive Asset Management, the investment firm he co-founded, shifted its headquarters from Columbus to Dallas in 2025, several months before Ramaswamy launched his Ohio gubernatorial campaign.Ramaswamy said he was no longer involved in the company's day-to-day operations but remained a major shareholder.For DeSantis, however, the broader issue was not simply one policy position. He argued that Ramaswamy had failed to understand the voters he needed to win."I know he shot himself in the foot. I know he did a lot of other stuff to make it a real landslide against him. But even with that, it's like you know you got to meet the voters where they are on some of this stuff," DeSantis said."I think we would have done better in Ohio had we had a candidate that was more representative or more in tune with the interests of kind of these blue collar people that make the backbone of Ohio," he added.RAMASWAMY'S ATTACK AD BACKFIREDRamaswamy's campaign had faced criticism even before voters went to the polls. One of the biggest controversies centred on an attack advertisement targeting Acton and featuring her estranged mother. The advertisement accused Acton, the Democratic candidate, of lying about her childhood experiences with poverty and homelessness.The campaign drew criticism from both Republicans and Democrats because the advertisement did not include crucial context about Acton's relationship with her mother.Acton has said she had not seen or spoken to her mother since she was 12. Her stepfather was arrested on charges of raping her, pleaded not guilty and fled the area before trial. Court records showed authorities continued searching for him for years.Acton's brother has also said their mother remained married to the man until his death in 2004.DESANTIS ALSO BLAMES REPUBLICAN CONGRESSRamaswamy's defeat was not an isolated Republican loss in Ohio. Republican Senate candidate Jon Husted also lost to Democrat Sherrod Brown, going down by 4.9 percentage points.The scale of the reversal became clearer when compared with the 2024 presidential election. Trump had carried Ohio by 11.2 percentage points.DeSantis did not stop at Ramaswamy.The outgoing Florida governor also criticised Republicans in Congress, saying that the party had failed to turn Trump's executive actions into lasting legislation. His argument was that Republicans had spent too much time relying on executive orders rather than passing laws that could survive beyond Trump's presidency."Last night's elections did not only kneecap the last two years of the Trump administration, it basically ensures the four years after that are going to either be Democrat years where they have a trifecta or where you have a Republican president that is hemmed in and limited," DeSantis said.DESANTIS DODGES 2028 SPECULATIONDeSantis, who lost the 2024 Republican presidential race and cannot seek another term as Florida governor, also addressed speculation about a possible 2028 White House run. Rather than committing to a future campaign, he said his decision would depend on whether he believed he could deliver meaningful results in office."The only way that I would run for any office is if you can actually deliver big results. I don't want to just be a timepiece where I just sit there like a potted plant," he said.The Ohio results have added to a growing Republican reckoning after Democrats seized control of Congress and scored major victories across the country. Republicans are now facing questions over President Trump's political strategy, the impact of the Iran war and tariffs, and whether the party has become too closely tied to national issues at the expense of local concerns. Several Republicans have called for Trump to change course, while Vice President JD Vance has also blamed the Iran war for the party's losses.- Ends