Ohio Christian leader endorses Hindu Vivek Ramaswamy over AG Dave Yost for governor
- Aaron Baer, a prominent Christian lobbyist in Ohio, has endorsed Vivek Ramaswamy for Ohio governor.
- Baer cited Ramaswamy's stance on the nuclear family and merit-based teacher raises as reasons for his endorsement.
- This endorsement comes despite Ramaswamy's less conservative stance on abortion compared to Baer's and opponent Dave Yost's views.
A prominent Ohio Christian lobbyist is backing Hindu entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy over Christian state Attorney General Dave Yost for governor − the latest sign of Ohio's politicos uniting behind the political newcomer.
Center for Christian Virtue President Aaron Baer told the statehouse bureau that he's endorsing Ramaswamy because of his vision for Ohio, which includes promoting the nuclear family and implementing merit-based raises for teachers. Baer explained his endorsement in a Washington Examiner op-ed Thursday.
But the pick also snubs Yost, a dedicated supporter of religious release time in public schools and an opponent of abortion access − two issues that Baer and the Center for Christian Virtue have championed.
As attorney general, Yost asked a judge to implement Ohio's ban on most abortions shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court returned the issue to state leaders. Yost and Baer opposed a 2023 ballot measure to enshrine abortion access in the state constitution. Yost and his wife, Darlene, walked the streets of Columbus with abortion opponents at the most recent Ohio March for Life.
Ramaswamy said he was humbled to earn Baer's support, calling it "hands-down one of my most important endorsements."
"No one should be surprised by this: as a person of faith who stands for the same core values that Aaron does, I look forward to working with him and other Christian leaders to advocate for family formation and to protect religious liberty for all Ohioans," Ramaswamy said.
During his 2024 presidential campaign, Ramaswamy said he opposed abortion but didn't support a national ban. In one debate, Ramaswamy said he was "upset" about Ohioans approving the 2023 abortion rights amendment, adding "the Republicans did not have an alternative amendment or vision on the table."
Ramaswamy spoke at the Center for Christian Virtue's 2024 gala, joking, "There's one question I had. This is the Center for Christian Virtue, and you want your keynote speaker to be a Hindu."
Baer said he understands Christians' hesitancy to back a candidate from another faith, but Ramaswamy's gubernatorial bid represents such a unique opportunity that "it’s worth Christians stepping out of a comfort zone." And, as he's told Ramaswamy, "I pray he comes to know Jesus."
Ramaswamy already has the gold standard of endorsements in Ohio Republican politics: President Donald Trump's. The president's backing helped author JD Vance and luxury car dealer Bernie Moreno win their Ohio Senate primaries and seats.
Baer is the latest Ohio politico to endorse Ramaswamy over Yost. Statewide Republican candidates Frank LaRose, Robert Sprague and Kristina Roegner have campaigned for Ramaswamy, an Upper Arlington resident who was raised in Evendale. Gov. Mike DeWine has not yet endorsed a successor after his pick, Jon Husted, took a U.S. Senate appointment to replace Vice President Vance instead.
As for Yost, Baer encouraged him to avoid a costly, bitter Republican primary against Ramaswamy. "I still think the world of Dave. I pray he stays involved in public policy."
A former school board member, Heather Hill, of Morgan County, is also running as a Republican. The sole Democrat in the governor's race is former Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton.
Jessie Balmert covers state government and politics for the Paste BN Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.
This story was updated to add a gallery.