The Ohio conference within the International Brotherhood of Teamsters is endorsing Republican Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy — an influential pickup for the former 2024 contender in the race.
The endorsement from the Ohio Conference of Teamsters, which represents more than 50,000 workers in the state and is part of the broader International Brotherhood of Teamsters organization, is especially noteworthy because the group is the third labor group to endorse Ramaswamy after previously backing former Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan for Senate. Ryan is considering jumping into the governor’s race, too.
“Our members want a leader who will fight for good-paying jobs and strengthen the future for Ohio’s working families,” Ohio conference president Patrick J. Darrow said in a release. “Vivek has demonstrated a commitment to listening to labor and partnering with us to deliver real results, and we look forward to working with him.”
The endorsement is the latest sign that unions are shifting toward Republicans and away from Democrats in Ohio. The fact that organized labor is picking sides so early on has worried the Democratic field, NBC News recently reported. The Teamsters announcement is also a blow to former Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton, a Democrat in the race who stood with striking Teamsters in August.
The endorsement will help solidify Ramaswamy’s position at the top of the field. For almost two decades, the broader union’s political arm mostly backed Democrats — but they’ve begun donating more to Republicans in the last two years, Politico reported last month.
During the 2024 presidential campaign, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters general president Sean O’Brien spoke at the Republican National Convention and the group ultimately declined to endorse a candidate for the first time since 1996. According to internal union polling, 60% of Teamsters preferred President Donald Trump, who has endorsed Ramaswamy in the race for governor, over then-Vice President Kamala Harris.