Overview

• Politico reports Musk phoned Gov. Mike DeWine to recommend Ramaswamy for the Senate seat vacated by Vice President-elect J.D. Vance.
• Musk initially framed the request as a way to give the Department of Government Efficiency a voice in Congress before confessing he found Ramaswamy “annoying.”
• Governor DeWine declined the suggestion and chose his lieutenant governor, Jon Husted, to fill the vacancy.
• Ramaswamy left his co-leadership role at DOGE in January to launch his bid for Ohio governor.
• The episode highlights mounting tensions within the Trump administration’s government efficiency initiative.