COLUMBUS — The sun hadn’t set on Republican Vivek Ramaswamy’s gubernatorial campaign launch earlier this week before President Donald Trump posted his endorsement of the Cincinnati-born biotech entrepreneur and former Department of Government Efficiency co-chair.

Trump lauded the multimillionaire on his Truth Social site as “something SPECIAL,” calling him “Young, Strong, and Smart!”

“Vivek is also a very good person, who truly loves our Country,” the president wrote. “He will be a GREAT Governor of Ohio, will never let you down, and has my COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENDORSEMENT!”

Robert Clegg, a long-time Republican campaign adviser in the state, said it may be meant as a message for Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, already seeking the Republican nomination, or perhaps even for newly named Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel.

Tom Zawistowski, a leader of Ohio’s tea party movement, said he believes Trump’s anticipated backing of Ramaswamy prompted then-Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, long viewed as the front-runner to be the state’s next governor, to take an appointment to Vance’s former Senate seat.

He said the state’s MAGA base is thrilled with Trump, Musk and DOGE so far, but he could see opponents of the effort trying to drive moderate Republicans and Democrats to vote for Tressel in next year’s GOP primary, rather than Democratic contender Amy Acton in her party’s primary.

Trying to avert such a scenario, he said, could explain why Trump jumped into the fray so quickly on Ramaswamy’s behalf.

Yost, who is term-limited, came out of the gate painting Ramaswamy as unreliable.