Vivek Ramaswamy wins Republican nomination for Ohio governor

In unofficial results, he defeated Casey Putsch, a car designer with an automotive-themed YouTube channel, for a place in the general election, according to US media reports.

Ramaswamy, a health-technology entrepreneur, gained national recognition during his unsuccessful run against Trump for president in 2024. He later threw his support behind Trump.

In the Ohio primary, even as he ran against Republicans, he focused on Democratic nominee Amy Acton, the former Ohio public health director who guided the state's response to the pandemic and ran unopposed for her party's nomination.

Ohio's current governor, Republican Mike DeWine, cannot run for re-election because of term limits.

Trump boosted Ramaswamy in a Truth Social post on Tuesday, writing that, "I know Vivek well, competed against him, and he is something SPECIAL. He is Young, Strong, and Smart!"

Vice President JD Vance, who previously represented Ohio in the US Senate, travelled to Cincinnati on Tuesday to cast his ballot for Ramaswamy and others.

The state has shifted towards Republicans in recent years, and Ramaswamy benefitted from name recognition and shuffling in the top ranks of the state's Republican Party caused by the ascension of Vance to the vice presidency.

Ramaswamy burst onto the national political scene in 2023 as a neophyte with a knack for using social media and podcast appearances to bolster his image. His mile-a-minute cadence and brash attacks resulted in viral moments during the 2024 Republican presidential debates, but he dropped out early due to lackluster support from voters.

Ramaswamy went on to serve as a top Trump surrogate during the 2024 presidential race and was involved in the effort to start Trump's Department of Government Efficiency, before ceding control of the project to Elon Musk.

When he announced his run for Ohio governor, Ramaswamy cleared the Republican primary field of most competitors. He has drawn on his personal fortune to help fund his campaign; The Columbus Dispatch reported he loaned his operation $25m (£18.4m).

His victory sets up a general election campaign focused on the lingering fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Acton had a highly visible role as the state's public health director during the height of the crisis. Under DeWine's leadership, Ohio took a more moderate approach to the pandemic response than other Republican-controlled states. Still, Ohio suspended in-person dining and postponed its presidential primary in 2020 as the virus spread.

But ongoing political backlash to Covid-19 restrictions, including masking and school closures, has opened up a path for Republicans to attack Acton six years later.

Ramaswamy recently released an ad claiming that Acton "called off Ohio's election at the last minute, defying a judge's order and abusing her power."

DeWine – who has endorsed Ramaswamy – took the unusual step of defending Acton from the ad's claims.

"I told her to issue the health order," DeWine told NBC4 news station. "The decision was mine."

The race promises to get more intense and expensive heading into the general election in November.

Meanwhile, seven Republican senators in Indiana who voted against Trump's redistricting plan faced challengers in Tuesday's primary election.

The Indiana Republicans defied intense pressure from Trump last December by rejecting his demands to pass a voting map meant to favour their party in midterm elections, scheduled for November.

In one of the most conservative states in the US, 21 Republicans in the Senate joined all 10 Democrats to torpedo the redistricting plan last year.

Trump warned at the time that Republicans who did not support the initiative could risk losing their seats.

"Project Freedom", which began less than 48 hours ago, will be halted because progress has been made toward a deal with Iran, the US president says.

How did Heidi Klum become a living Met Gala sculpture?Prosthetic make-up designer Mike Marino reveals how he created the supermodel's show-stopping costume for the annual event in New York.

Cole Tomas Allen is now facing charges from a grand jury indictment, which supersedes his previous charges.

Watch: Hundreds of beagles rescued from breeding facility being rehomedAbout 1,500 dogs are being released from a Wisconsin commercial breeder and prepared for adoption after protests from activists.