President-elect Donald Trump likes the idea of tech exec Vivek Ramaswamy replacing JD Vance in the US Senate, according to a source familiar with the conversations.
Vance stepped down from his Ohio Senate seat last week ahead of his inauguration Monday as vice president.
Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine will appoint a replacement to serve until a special election can be held in 2026.
The source told The Post that Ramaswamy — a 2024 GOP presidential candidate whom Trump named co-chair of the Department of Government Efficiency — is interested in the seat and that Trump is supportive of his taking it.
The news was first reported by the Washington Post.
DeWine said Thursday he was looking to announce his decision next week, but did not reveal who his top choices were.
“I’m looking for someone who really knows Ohio, who understands this state, someone who has experience, someone frankly, who is a hard worker,” the governor said.
DeWine’s frontrunner for the vacancy is Lt. Gov. Jon Husted — not Ramaswamy, Republican operatives told The Post.
Ramaswamy was born and raised outside Cincinnati, but made his career in Silicon Valley.
The billionaire — who quickly backed Trump after dropping out of the 2024 race post Iowa caucus — previously said he was open to taking the vacant seat.
Shortly after Trump’s election in November, Ramaswamy was picked, alongside billionaire Elon Musk, to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) — which aims to cut $2 trillion from the federal budget.
He then withdrew his name from Senate consideration, writing on X in November, “this means I’m withdrawing myself from consideration for the pending Senate appointment in Ohio. Whoever Governor DeWine appoints to JD’s seat has some big shoes to fill. I will help them however I can.”
It’s unclear what his role at DOGE would be if he did take up the Senate seat, but it could put him in position to help push legislation on the recommendations from DOGE — which is not an official government agency.
Ramaswamy caused a stir in MAGA world after posting on X in favor of immigrants taking jobs in the US due to a problem with American “culture.” His remarks led to a heated debate about H-1B visas among the various factions of the GOP sphere — as well as virulent anti-Indian rhetoric on social media.
He’s since noticeably quieted down on social media, leading some users to speculate about where he went.
