'Vivek can do anything.' After convention speech, what's next for Ramaswamy

MILWAUKEE ‒ Cincinnati-area native and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has worked the crowds at the Republican National Convention amid speculation he could fill the vacant Senate seat should Sen. JD Vance become vice president.

Ramaswamy received a loud ovation from Republicans Tuesday night before delivering an eight-minute nationally televised speech at a packed Fiserv Forum arena in Milwaukee. Earlier in the day, he spoke to the North Carolina delegation at a breakfast.

Will this lead to Sen. Ramaswamy?

Ohio delegates who talked to The Enquirer said he's well-liked, but many still need more convincing before supporting any senatorial or future presidential desires Ramaswamy may harbor.

Ramaswamy told The USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau that he'd "strongly consider" the job of senator but would need to consult with former President Donald Trump on "how I could maximize my impact on this country."

Ramaswamy has hitched his political star to Trump after running against him in the Republican primary before dropping out in January.

"Donald Trump is the president who will actually unite this country not through empty words, but through action," Ramaswamy said Tuesday night.

Ramaswamy, 38, has risen from political obscurity in the past two years to become a household name in Republican politics.

Republican leaders didn't want to speculate

Ohio Republicans this week didn't want to speculate on his future other than it being bright.

Gov. Mike DeWine wouldn't say this week what he thought about the potential appointment to the Senate. Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, on the floor of Milwaukee's Fiserv Forum arena after Ramaswamy's speech, also wouldn't speculate about the potential open Senate seat.

"I've been encouraging him to be involved in the political process and I believe he has an incredibly bright future," Husted told The Enquirer. "But a guy like Vivek, he's got a lot of irons in the fire and a lot of options."

Trump's cabinet?

Some, such as Rep. Warren Davidson, a Republican from Troy who represents the suburbs west of Cincinnati in Hamilton County and north in Butler County, suggested Ramaswamy could land a position in Trump's cabinet if he wins in November.

"I think it’s self-evident Vivek is brilliant," said Davidson, who's known Ramaswamy for at least eight years. "I've been really excited to see the reception he's had over the last year or two as he mounted a presidential campaign, did it in a way that supported President Trump and has built the momentum behind the whole movement."

Many undecided on Ramaswamy's future

Jennifer Barlow, a delegate from Fairfield Township just north of Cincinnati, said she could see Ramaswamy as a senator.

"I think he's very smart and outspoken," Barlow said. Whether he's the best candidate for senate, Barlow said she didn't know. She also mentioned Lt. Gov. Husted and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost as possible Senate candidates.

"But I think Vivek can do anything."

Ramaswamy's speech impressed former Clermont County GOP Chairman Greg Simpson.

He liked what he heard from Ramaswamy, talking about "hard work will get you ahead, don't rely on the government."

"Those are things I want to hear, and I pretty much heard that," Simpson said.

Ramaswamy still has to win Simpson over.

"I haven't made up my mind yet, although I am considering him," Simpson said. "I will not be upset if he was appointed."

Grew up in Evendale, graduated from St. Xavier

Ramaswamy lives in the Columbus region but grew up in the Cincinnati-area suburb of Evendale. He graduated as valedictorian of his high school in 2002 from the Jesuit-run St. Xavier. He then earned degrees from Harvard and Yale before he made a fortune in the biotech field, a fortune estimated by Forbes to be $1 billion .

He moved back to Ohio in 2019, buying a home in Butler County just north of Cincinnati. He began making noise in Republican politics, penning "Woke, Inc.: Inside Corporate America's Social Justice Scam," and other books decrying "wokeness."

Ramaswamy's campaign for the 2024 Republican nomination lasted 11 months before he suspended it in January after a fourth-place finish in the Iowa Caucuses.

In that time, Ramaswamy has gained a following. That following includes Columbus Republican delegate Jack Etheridge. He just read Ramaswamy's book "Woke Inc."

"Oh wow, that's the first I heard about the idea, but I'm delighted about it," Etheridge said, referring to the idea of Ramaswamy being appointed to the Senate. "Talk about an articulate man, a bright man, a principled man, someone who once again has this broad affection and appreciation for the American people."

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 'Vivek can do anything.' After convention speech, what's next for Ramaswamy