COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine still won't endorse a successor, having consistently said that there is plenty of time for more candidates to get into the race. With more than a year until the midterms, that is already ringing true for the Democratic Party.
The clock is ticking.
"This race, really, kind of started early," Gov. Mike DeWine said.
Millions of dollars have already poured into the race to succeed DeWine. Out the gate, the biggest named Democrat is COVID-era health director Amy Acton.
"They want to see leaders use common sense for the common good," Acton told us in an interview Friday.
The doctor from Youngstown has already broken fundraising records for a Democratic candidate this early with $1.4 million, and she said bipartisanship will be key to her campaign.
RELATED: Why both top gubernatorial candidates have a good fundraising story to tell
"I will always be focused on Ohioans and whatever it takes to move them forward and solve the issues that affect their everyday lives," Acton said.
Now that former U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown is expected to run to reclaim a Senate seat, former Congressman Tim Ryan's spokesperson said this has “renewed and heightened Tim Ryan’s interest in running for governor to further serve the people of Ohio.”
"I would love nothing more than for the Democratic side to have a competitive primary with multiple candidates because we have unprecedented unity on the Republican side," Vivek Ramaswamy, the GOP-endorsed Republican candidate, said during a one-on-one interview, but followed up with similar sentiments this week.
Ramaswamy raised $9.7 million, also a record-breaking number for this early on in the campaign.
"I'm in this to unite everybody in the state of Ohio around a vision of economic growth," Ramaswamy said.
The Cincinnati businessman also won President Donald Trump's endorsement, but not from the top executive in Ohio.
DeWine, who has repeatedly avoided talking about Ramaswamy and has, on occasion, rolled his eyes at the mention of his name, and the 40-year-old businessman differ dramatically.
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"When are you going to make an announcement on your endorsement for governor?" I asked DeWine Thursday. "Are you still waiting for the lieutenant governor to get into the race?"
"Oh, there'll be ample time," DeWine said. "We're still a long ways away."
DeWine has continued to promote the work of Lieutenant Governor Jim Tressel, who said in May that he is considering a run.
RELATED: Jim Tressel still considering run for Ohio governor; GOP endorsement of Ramaswamy isn't a factor
I caught up with Tressel at a business event for Amazon in early August.
"Vivek Ramaswamy has raised nearly $10 million from donors for his gubernatorial run. Do you think you can raise a similar amount, and do you think that your name ID can carry you?" I asked Tressel.
"Well, I haven't raised any money," the lieutenant governor responded. "I've been busy at things like this because I see you guys all the time. Today is 'Amazon,' and it became 'Intel,' but it's not 'Jim Tressel's future in this world.'”
"Is Jim Tressel's future a gubernatorial run?" I asked, trying again.
"That's not the discussion today," he replied.
But one thing is for sure about the DeWine endorsement.
"I'm the governor of the state, Republican governor," DeWine said. "I'm gonna support the Republican nominee for governor and other statewide offices."
Candidates have until early February to get into the race.
We will do in-depth profiles as candidates continue to get into the race and the election gets closer.
Other candidates who have started to campaign for governor include Republicans Heather Hill and Philip Funderburg, Democrat Jacob Chiara and independent Tim Grady.
Follow WEWS statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on Twitter and Facebook.
