Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced the suspension of his gubernatorial campaign on Friday in an email to supporters.
One week after the Ohio Republican Party officially endorsed businessman and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy in the Ohio gubernatorial race, Yost said it is “apparent that a steep climb to the nomination for governor has become a vertical cliff.”
“I do not wish to divide my political party or my state with a quixotic battle over the small differences between my vision and that of my opponent. I am simply not that important,” Yost added.
Yost expressed concern over the potential return of former Democratic U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown, who was recently unseated in the U.S. Senate by Republican Bernie Moreno (R-OH), as some have speculated the longtime Ohio Democrat may be planning a run for governor or another run for the Senate.
“The comeback attempt by Sherrod Brown represents a real and present danger to Ohio’s prosperity…This is a time to protect Ohio, not a time for a family squabble,” Yost said.
Despite the suspension of his campaign, Yost left the door open for his political future, noting how his current term as attorney general ends in January 2027.
“My term as Ohio Attorney General runs until January 2027. I will continue to fight for Ohio and Ohioans during that time-and I suspect that this is not my final chapter,” Yost said.
Yost’s suspension of his campaign comes less than four months after he officially launched his bid for governor.
With Yost’s departure from the race, Ohio GOP-endorsed Ramaswamy’s only opponent in the Republican primary is currently entrepreneur Heather Hill.
Ohio Lieutenant Governor Jim Tressel, who last week said he was considering a run for governor in 2026, has yet to make a decision on whether or not he will challenge Ramaswamy for the Republican nomination.
– – –
Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Ohio Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “Dave Yost” by Dave Yost.
