COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — In Ohio's closely watched race for governor, Republican entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and Democratic former health chief Amy Acton rolled out their picks for running mate on Wednesday, announcing a seasoned conservative lawmaker for him and a pragmatic former party chair for her.
Ramaswamy tapped Ohio Senate President Rob McColley while Acton chose former state Democratic Chair David Pepper. The current Republican Gov. Mike DeWine cannot run for reelection because of term limits.
Ramaswamy, a billionaire biotech executive from Cincinnati, said he wanted a partner who understands legislating and can help charge ahead on an aggressive agenda. "Rob is a proven conservative leader, and he is committed to my vision to make the American Dream a reality for every Ohioan,” Ramaswamy said.
McColley, 41, was first elected to the Ohio House of Representatives in 2014 before being appointed to the Senate to fill a vacancy in December 2017.
Acton, a physician who helped lead Ohio’s early pandemic response, said Pepper's track record as a problem-solver at the local level will serve as an asset to her campaign. She confirmed her selection of Pepper to The Associated Press ahead of their first public appearance together Wednesday.
“I’ve been going everywhere and listening deeply for almost two years now, and people are longing for public servants again who solve the problems of our everyday life,” Acton said in an interview.
Pepper, 54, the son of a former Procter & Gamble CEO, is a lawyer, writer and former member of the Cincinnati City Council and the Hamilton County Commission in his hometown.
Pepper spearheaded a foreclosure prevention program, introduced a prescription drug discount program for county residents, led an earned income tax credit initiative, balanced the budget and held the line on property taxes, according to the campaign.
Pepper said he sees economic similarities between his time in county office during the Great Recession and now.
“I'm really looking forward to taking that experience of working across party lines — because, back then, that's how you did things — and applying that statewide,” he said.