When Ohio Governor Mike DeWine picked Ohio State Football coaching legend Jim Tressel to be Lt. Governor, there was much speculation that he was being groomed for even higher office.
Tressel fueled that speculation last week when he said he is considering a run for governor.
But on Friday at the urging of President Donald Trump, members of the Ohio Republican State Central Committee voted 60-to-3 to endorse business entrepreneur Ramaswamy for the nomination even though the primary is a year away.
Tom Zawistowski is president of the tea party affiliated We the People Convention.
"Governor DeWine was literally making phone calls to Central Committee members asking to vote no, saying it's too early and there's other people that will get in the race, hint hint, former Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel."
Ramaswamy gained national attention in last year’s GOP Presidential race, his youthful energy and social media presence helping him connect with voters.
Current polling shows him way out in front of known Ohio Republican contenders Dave Yost, the state attorney general, and Heather Hill, a community activist in Morgan County, southeastern Ohio.
The latest Bowling Green State University/YouGov Republican Primary poll shows Ramaswamy leading Yost 64% to 14%, a slight increase for Ramaswamy from the same poll in February.
It’s much closer for Ramaswamy in a hypothetical general election matchup against Amy Acton, the former director of the Ohio Department of Health and only declared Democrat candidate.
The Bowling Green poll shows Ramaswamy beating Acton 50-45, though Public Policy Polling numbers from February show Acton ahead 45-44.
Tressel led Ohio State to the national championship in 2002, a fond memory for the school’s 600,000 living alumni.
What's next for Yost?
Following the committee’s lopsided endorsement of Ramaswamy, Yost’s campaign manager, Emily Hottinger, gave an unsettled look to her candidate’s future.
“The Attorney General is going to take a few days to consult with key supporters about the path forward,” she said in a statement, “but the people of Ohio deserve a choice, not a premature coronation of an untested candidate.”
Zawistowski says this vote was a very big deal.
“And quite frankly, the 60 to 3 final vote surprised me. It is the biggest defeat of the grassroots that we've ever inflicted on the Republican establishment in the 15 years we've been fighting them, and I was extremely excited and pleased to see the results of that."
Still Zawistowski says it will be a tough primary battle because the establishment GOP doesn't want to give up its power.
