A growing group of Ohio donors who previously supported Democratic congressman Tim Ryan have given nearly $220,000 to Republican Vivek Ramaswamy’s Ohio gubernatorial campaign, Ramaswamy’s team said, a development the campaign framed as evidence of shifting political allegiances in the state.
The donations, disclosed by the Ramaswamy campaign and reported by Fox News, include contributions from business leaders in Youngstown and Northeast Ohio who gave substantial sums to Ryan in past cycles, according to campaign-provided figures. The campaign also reported raising $9.7 million between February and June and said an allied super PAC has put in roughly $17 million.
Among the names highlighted by Ramaswamy’s team were Caryn and Sam Covelli, who gave $10,000 to Ramaswamy after contributing more than $59,000 to Ryan in multiple cycles; Bruce Zoldan, who donated $5,000 after more than $53,000 in prior contributions to Ryan; and Adam Thomarios, who contributed $10,000 and is hosting a fundraiser after earlier gifts totaling nearly $17,000 to Ryan. Other donors cited by the campaign include Anthony Manna, Regina Mitchell, and Jeff and Lisa Edwards with varying past support for Ryan.
Ramaswamy launched his Ohio campaign in February and has emphasized economic growth, manufacturing, energy independence and public safety as priorities. Jai Chabria, Ramaswamy’s chief strategist, told Fox News Digital the donor movement reflects a broader realignment of voters and contributors who are seeking new economic and policy ideas after what he described as decades of disappointment with established leadership.
"There's actually a movement where people are actually moving over not just to Republicans, but to Vivek specifically because he's got such a message of growth," Chabria said. He added that the momentum was visible in both fundraising reports and grassroots activity across the state.
Ohio Republican Party Chairman Alex Triantafilou described the donor shifts as "impressive" and pointed to the state party’s early endorsement of Ramaswamy in May as a factor in consolidating support. Triantafilou said former Ryan backers were attracted to Ramaswamy’s proposals on manufacturing, education and an elimination of the state income tax, which he argued would appeal to working- and middle-class voters.
The Ramaswamy campaign emphasized that record fundraising ahead of a general election year and defections from Ryan’s donor network strengthen the candidate’s position going into the 2026 contest. Campaign officials said events are planned across Ohio through the fall, including an October fundraiser hosted by Thomarios in Akron.
Tim Ryan, the former U.S. congressman from Youngstown who ran for U.S. Senate in 2022, has not formally declared a gubernatorial bid. Fox News Digital reported the Ramaswamy campaign reached out to Ryan for comment; Ramaswamy’s team framed the donor movement as an indication that some traditional Democratic donors are open to alternatives.
Critics and Republican strategists contrasted Ramaswamy’s messaging with what they described as Ryan’s ties to national Democratic politics. Triantafilou characterized Ryan as out of step with Ohio voters, saying he represents the Democratic Party’s past approach while Ramaswamy represents a new generation of leadership. Those assessments were voiced by Ramaswamy allies and party officials and attributed to them by the campaign.
Ramaswamy’s campaign called the nearly $220,000 in contributions from prior Ryan donors "only the tip of the iceberg," predicting larger totals in subsequent filings. The campaign’s figures and donor identifications are drawn from campaign reports and donor histories provided to reporters. Outside groups and an allied super PAC reported additional spending, but independent confirmation of the donor motivations cited by Ramaswamy’s team was not provided.
The early fundraising and donor shifts add to an evolving political dynamic in Ohio, where Republicans aim to maintain statewide control and Democrats consider potential challengers. Ramaswamy, a former business executive and 2024 Republican presidential candidate, is positioning himself as a GOP front-runner in the state; party officials and campaign aides said the combination of early endorsements, fundraising and outreach across regions of Ohio will be central to his strategy.
Fox News Digital reported the donor moves and the campaign’s fundraising totals. The Ramaswamy campaign and Ohio Republican officials framed the developments as part of a broader coalition-building effort; the report said Ryan had not yet responded to requests for comment.