By Matthew Sotlar / The Jambar
Vivek Ramaswamy, Republican gubernatorial candidate and entrepreneur, visited Canfield on Nov. 1 for a last-minute rally ahead of the race for Ohio governor against Dr. Amy Acton, Democratic nominee. Despite the effort, Ramaswamy lost to Acton on Nov. 3.
Ramaswamy spoke to around 500 attendees inside Waypoint 4180. Prior to his speech, Rob McColley, Ramaswamy’s running mate for lieutenant governor, spoke alongside other Republican candidates, including:
- Jay Edwards, candidate for Ohio treasurer
- Robert Sprague, candidate for Ohio secretary of state
- Frank LaRose, candidate for Ohio auditor of state
- Keith Faber, candidate for Ohio attorney general
- Rep. Michael Rulli
McColley spoke on his perceived inadequacies of the Democratic Party and Acton as a gubernatorial candidate, comparing her to Kamala Harris, former vice president and presidential candidate in the 2024 election.
“Amy Acton is a trainwreck of a candidate, and her entire campaign knows this. That’s why she’s borrowing the Joe Biden basement campaign playbook because they all know she’s just like Kamala Harris, probably even worse,” McColley said. “That’s why they won’t let her debate. That’s why they won’t let cameras at any of her rallies because they understand what’s going to happen.”
The Jambar attended a rally for Acton and was permitted to record video. McColley also said it’s important for a governor to be willing to take on issues such as tax reform and Medicaid fraud.
“This race comes down to a simple question,” McColley said. “Who do you trust? Who do you trust to deliver the largest property tax reform in Ohio’s history? Who do you trust to root out the Medicaid waste, fraud and abuse? Who do you trust to end sanctuary cities in the state of Ohio? And most importantly, who do you trust to make it so that you and your family can live, work, raise a family, prosper and live their own version of the American dream?”
Following McColley was Rulli, who emphasized the importance of protecting women’s rights.
“What this election really is about is the woman,” Rulli said. “The Virgin Mary, your mom, you women, the daughters, the sisters, the friends, the power of a woman and an angel mom is the most tremendous woman I’ve ever seen.”
Dr. Apoorva Ramaswamy, Vivek Ramaswamy’s wife and otolaryngologist specialist at The Ohio State University, also spoke following Rulli. She discussed the importance of the election for the future.
“On Nov. 3, the safety of our children, their education — our future is at stake,” Apoorva Ramaswamy said. “We all have to get through and fight for our children and for their future because they are depending on us.”
Vivek Ramaswamy spoke next, and discussed a perceived failure of Democratic-led states such as Minnesota and Michigan and a perceived spread of communism.
“This is not just Republicans versus Democrats,” Ramaswamy said. “The Democratic Party of today is not your grandfather’s Democratic Party — it’s not your father’s Democratic Party. This election is about common sense versus communism. This is about common sense versus crazy. The question for you in this room is, ‘What are you willing to do to fight for it?’”
Ramaswamy held a final rally Nov. 2 in Cleveland before midterm elections Nov. 3.
