Ohio Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel speaks about the Amazon data center at the Brick House Blue in New Albany on Aug. 7.

Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel won't run for governor in 2026, all but assuring Vivek Ramaswamy will be the GOP nominee in Ohio.

Tressel's Sept. 19 announcement ended speculation that he would mount a primary challenge against Ramaswamy, who secured the backing of President Donald Trump and the Ohio Republican Party. Unlike past election cycles, Republicans are pushing unity over messy primaries in the races for governor and U.S. Senate.

Attorney General Dave Yost dropped out of the governor's race earlier this year as his party began to coalesce around Ramaswamy. But Tressel, a former Ohio State University football coach, said he was still considering a run.

"I believe that our crucial opportunities in the areas of education and workforce deserve my full attention for the remainder of our term," Tressel said in a statement on Sept. 19. "My goal is to help finish the amazing work started by the DeWine-Husted administration. Ohio is winning and must continue!"

DeWine appointed Tressel in February to replace now-Sen. Jon Husted as lieutenant governor. Husted was DeWine's preferred successor as governor until he had to pick someone to fill Vice President JD Vance's vacant Senate seat.

Following Tressel's appointment, DeWine sidestepped questions about whether he was priming the former coach for a run. The governor unsuccessfully urged members of the Ohio Republican Party to delay their May endorsement of Ramaswamy.

Who is Jim Tressel?

Tressel, a Mentor native, served as Youngstown State University’s president from 2014 to 2023.

Before that, he worked as Ohio State's head football coach from 2001 to 2011, winning the national championship in 2002. Tressel’s nickname was "the senator" for his diplomatic demeanor despite never serving in public office.

Tressel resigned from that role amid an NCAA investigation into improper benefits, including tattoos, that his players received during the 2010 season. Ohio State vacated its wins from that season as a punishment.

Prior to his job at Ohio State, Tressel served as the head coach at Youngstown State University from 1986 to 2000 and as a position coach at Syracuse University and Miami University.

As lieutenant governor, Tressel launched a fitness challenge with former Ohio State players to promote healthy lifestyles.

State government reporter Haley BeMiller can be reached at hbemiller@gannett.com or @haleybemiller on X.

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel won't run for governor in 2026, clearing GOP field for Ramaswamy

Reporting by Haley BeMiller and Jessie Balmert, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch

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