CLEVELAND (AP) — In Ohio’s closely watched race for governor, Republican entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and Democratic former health chief Amy Acton rolled out their picks for running mate on Wednesday, with Gov. Mike DeWine barred by term limits from seeking re-election.
Ramaswamy tapped Ohio Senate President Rob McColley while Acton chose former state Democratic Chair David Pepper. The picks add experience in elective office to tickets that, until now, had been without a running mate.
In announcing McColley, Ramaswamy said, “I’m an entrepreneur, not a politician,” and said he wanted a partner who understands legislating and can help him charge ahead on an aggressive policy agenda. He told a crowd during a Cleveland introduction event that McColley “has experience that I don’t.”
McColley, 41, of northwest Ohio, was first elected to the Ohio House in 2014 before being appointed to the Senate to fill a vacancy in December 2017. The campaign touted his efforts to reduce government bureaucracy, cut taxes and fight Acton’s COVID-19 orders.
Acton, a physician and former nonprofit executive who helped lead Ohio’s early pandemic response as DeWine’s state health director, said Pepper’s track record as a problem-solver on Cincinnati City Council and the Hamilton County Commission would serve as an asset to her campaign. She and Pepper held their first joint public appearance during an affordability roundtable in Columbus.
Acton said, “I’ve been going everywhere and listening deeply for almost two years now, and people are longing for public servants again who solve the problems of our everyday life,” in an interview. She said that through his city and county roles, Pepper “has faced just about every problem a governor faces.”
The Acton campaign highlighted Pepper’s work spearheading a foreclosure prevention program, introducing a prescription drug discount program for county residents, leading an earned income tax credit initiative, helping balance budgets and holding the line on property taxes.
Ramaswamy’s team responded by scrutinizing Pepper’s political record. Chief strategist Jai Chabria called the son of a former Procter & Gamble CEO “a nepo baby” and cited Pepper’s unsuccessful bids for higher office.
Chabria said Ohio voters have repeatedly rejected David Pepper for political office, including for mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio auditor of state, and Ohio attorney general, where Pepper managed to get just 38 percent of the vote. Speakers at Ramaswamy’s rally also called Pepper’s positions on gender identity and reproductive rights “radical.”
McColley’s record in office also drew scrutiny on Wednesday. The Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association pointed to his support for bills banning most abortions in Ohio and creating new hurdles for solar and wind projects as signs the ticket is too extreme.
Kevin Holst, the group’s executive director, said Ramaswamy’s choice of McColley as running mate tells Ohioans everything they need to know: this ticket is about power and special interests, not lowering costs.