As Ohio governor, Vivek Ramaswamy would show NYPD officers ‘respect’ after Zohran Mamdani win

Vivek Ramaswamy says he wants Ohio to lead the nation

Vivek Ramaswamy says he wants Ohio to lead the nation

• Ohio governor candidate Vivek Ramaswamy said he would welcome New York City police officers to Ohio.
• The invitation follows reports of NYPD resignations after Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral victory in New York City.
• Mamdani, who previously called to defund the police, has since apologized and stated he would maintain the department’s budget.

Ohio governor candidate Vivek Ramaswamy would welcome New York City police officers who want to move to Ohio. This comes amid reports of a drop in the number of the city’s police force following Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s victory over former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Election Day, Nov. 4, 2025.

The New York Post recently reported that more than 200 NYPD officers resigned in October ahead of Mamdani’s Election Day win. Meanwhile, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement posted on social media that it is actively recruiting NYPD officers to join ICE.

Ramaswamy said he would welcome NYPD officers to Ohio while quoting another Ohio politician. Here’s what to know.

Vivek Ramaswamy invites NYPD officers to relocate to Ohio

Ramaswamy responded to Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s post on X Nov. 9, sharing that Ohio would “welcome NYPD officers to Ohio’s cities & show them the respect they deserve.” In his appeal to recruit NYPD officers, Yost also spoke of “pro-law enforcement jurisdictions here in Ohio looking to hire.”

Mamdani, who identifies as a Democratic Socialist, called in 2020 to defund the New York Police Department, saying the agency was “racist, anti-queer and a major threat to public safety.” He has since apologized for those remarks and wants to retain Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, whose father was a major donor to former Republican Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Mamdani also said he would maintain the department’s budget and staffing levels, according to USA TODAY.

Ramaswamy, a Cincinnati native, has previously criticized what he called an “anti-law enforcement culture” after a video of a downtown Cincinnati brawl went viral in July 2025. “It is sad to see the anti-law enforcement culture, the anti-rule of law culture spread across our country,” he told Fox News in August.

President Donald Trump endorses Ramaswamy for Ohio governor

On Nov. 5, President Trump, who has endorsed Ramaswamy for Ohio governor and Andrew Cuomo for New York City mayor, has called Mamdani a communist and said New Yorkers would move to Miami, according to USA TODAY. Trump also threatened to withhold federal funding from New York if Mamdani won.