Former Republican presidential candidate and Ohio businessman Vivek Ramaswamy has signaled he would be interested in taking Sen. JD Vance’s (R-OH) Senate seat if he becomes the next vice president.
Ramaswamy said he feels he has a strong obligation to serve the country and that his main concern is the regulatory state.
“If I was asked to serve, I would consider it. Absolutely," he said during the Republican National Convention (RNC). “But I would also want to have a serious conversation with President Trump about the other ways I could have an impact on the country.”
The Ohio businessman rose to the political spotlight when he became the youngest candidate in the GOP field and emerged as an “anti-woke” conservative who structured his campaign around reviving a “missing national identity” further former President Donald Trump’s “America First” agenda.
“Running for president wasn’t something I thought I was going to be doing,” Ramaswamy said. “In the moment that we’re in, I’m called to do what I think will allow me to have the maximum impact on saving the country. And if I was asked to serve, yes I would strongly consider it out of my sense of obligation to the country.”
Vance was elected to a six-year Senate senate term in 2022 and isn't up for re-election until 2028. Per Ohio law, if a vacancy occurs during a senator’s term, the governor will appoint “some suitable person having the necessary qualifications for senator.”
Luckily for Republicans, Ohio has a Republican governor, Gov. Mike DeWine, who will most likely appoint a fellow Republican to replace Vance.
“I have not discussed this with Gov. DeWine, but, you know, I look forward to evaluating what the future holds in store. I would strongly consider it if asked,” Ramaswamy said.
In a statement, Ramaswamy said he has complete confidence in Vance serving as Trump’s vice president, adding that the senator will leave “very big shoes to fill, and it’s important that the right person actually take that mantle on."
Ramaswamy also said he has discussed his future political career with Trump and the possibility of serving in his future Cabinet, such as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, should he be elected.
During his short time on the campaign trail, Ramaswamy advocated for abolishing the FBI and ending military aid to Ukraine. He ruffled liberal feathers when he called climate change a “hoax.”