Ramaswamy wins Holmes County decisively in Ohio governor primary

The result came in a county that sits at the center of Ohio Amish Country and is home to the world’s largest Amish and Mennonite settlement. Holmes County had 44,223 residents in the 2020 Census and an estimated population of 44,970 on July 1, 2025, with 98.3% of residents identifying as White alone. In a place where local identity is shaped by tight-knit communities, church life, small businesses and a strong preference for local control, Ramaswamy’s margin suggested his message landed cleanly with a large share of Republican primary voters.

The county’s numbers were not just strong, they were lopsided. Casey Putsch and Kimberly C. Georgeton received 479 votes, or 19.30%, while Heather Hill and Stuart Moats got 125 votes, or 5.04%. Combined, the other Republican tickets drew 604 votes, still well short of Ramaswamy’s total on their own. The scale of the vote showed that Holmes County was not merely a win on the map, but one of the clearest expressions of support he received anywhere in Ohio.

The Associated Press called the race at 4:42 p.m. on May 5, the same day voters across Ohio chose the Republican nominee. Ramaswamy, who entered the contest with Donald Trump’s endorsement, will now face Democrat Amy Acton in November as Ohio picks a successor to term-limited Republican Gov. Mike DeWine. Acton was unopposed in the Democratic primary and is best known for leading Ohio’s COVID-19 response while serving as the state’s health director.