Forbes reports that Vivek Ramaswamy’s net worth has jumped from roughly $1 billion in March to about $1.8 billion in November while he’s been campaigning for Ohio governor, an 80 percent increase in less than a year. That kind of wealth creation didn’t come from government handouts or political theater — it came from building companies, taking risks, and seeing investments pay off. Those are the sort of real-world achievements voters should reward, not the tired anti-wealth narratives the left keeps pushing.
The primary driver was Roivant Sciences, the biopharma firm Ramaswamy founded, which enjoyed a banner year as its pipeline produced results and corporate deals pushed the stock higher; Forbes notes his roughly 49 million shares are now worth about $1 billion alone. Smart capital allocation, successful drug development, and disciplined exits turned innovation into tangible value for shareholders and employees — the exact engine of prosperity the political class pretends not to understand. For conservative Americans, this is proof that free enterprise, not more regulation and redistribution, grows wealth and funds breakthroughs.
Meanwhile, Ramaswamy has not been financing this campaign the way he did his presidential bid; Forbes reports he’s only loaned about $200,000 to his gubernatorial effort while the campaign raised millions from supporters, roughly $9.7 million through July according to filings. Independent reporting also showed a rapid fundraising pace earlier in the year, underlining that his message resonates with donors and voters alike. This is the kind of grassroots and donor-backed momentum Republicans should celebrate — a candidate who mobilizes support rather than buys it outright.
Critics will howl that his wealth makes him out of touch, or worse, that business success is incompatible with public service, but those arguments are thin political smear tactics. Ramaswamy’s rise came after he left day-to-day management to pursue ideas in the public square; he even stepped away from the Department of Government Efficiency early this year amid shifting priorities. If anything, his private-sector victories and willingness to challenge orthodoxy make him a refreshing alternative to the career politicians who have hollowed out state government.
Not every investment in his portfolio has been perfect — Strive Asset Management’s pivot and the rocky market reactions are part of entrepreneurial risk — but that is precisely the point: risk, failure, and recalibration are the grit of capitalism. Forbes also highlights other assets, like his stake in the senior-care startup Chapter, showing a diversified approach to building long-term value rather than relying on short-term political theatrics. Voters who prefer safe, stagnant government over the messy but productive dynamism of the market are choosing decline over growth.
Patriots should want a governor who knows how to create jobs, attract investment, and defend meritocracy — Ramaswamy’s track record in business and his promise to make Ohio the top state for capitalism and merit have to be taken seriously. The left will keep wagging its finger about billionaires, but Ohioans deserve a leader who understands how prosperity is built and how to scale it for hardworking families. In a nation that desperately needs economic renewal, rewarding achievement and innovation is the patriotic choice.
