CANFIELD — The Mahoning County Republican Party’s annual Lincoln Day dinner on April 3 with Vivek Ramaswamy, the 2026 GOP gubernatorial front-runner, as keynote speaker is sold out.

Mahoning Republican Chairman Tom McCabe said the party sold 720 tickets for next week’s event at Waypoint 4180 in Canfield. The event was sold out a few weeks ago, but McCabe asked Waypoint to add six more eight-person tables and the facility was able to accommodate the request.

McCabe said the party has a waiting list with about 60 people on it and he will again ask Waypoint to add more tables, but doubts the facility has the space for more.

“We have such high demand for this event that we asked to do a back-to-back event the next day, but Vivek wasn’t available,” McCabe said.

McCabe said: “We didn’t advertise the event. We sent out some text messages and it sold out quickly.”

This will be the party’s second biggest event, McCabe said, behind only a September 2021 event at Mr. Anthony’s in Boardman headlined by Candace Owens, a conservative political commentator.

Also expected to attend the April 3 event, McCabe said, are Secretary of State Frank LaRose, who is running next year for state auditor; Treasurer Robert Sprague, who is running next year for secretary of state; Ohio Supreme Court Justice Daniel R. Hawkins; U.S. Rep. Michael Rulli of Salem, as well as Valley state legislators and county elected officials.

Ramaswamy officially announced Feb. 24 that he was going to run in 2026 for governor. It had been known for a few months prior that he would make such an announcement.

Attorney General Dave Yos also is running for the Republican nomination for governor. Dr. Amy Acton, who served as the state’s health director during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, is the only announced Democratic candidate for governor.

Ramaswamy is seen as the front-runner in early polling. Also, the wealthy biotech entrepreneur and short-lived presidential candidate received a strong endorsement from President Donald Trump just a few hours after his gubernatorial announcement. Trump is the only Republican presidential candidate to win Ohio in three consecutive elections.

Ramaswamy has spoken and is scheduled to speak at numerous county Republican Lincoln Day dinners.

McCabe said he’s talked to other GOP chairs throughout Ohio and Ramaswamy has been a tremendous draw for them at the events.

Ramaswamy also has attracted protestors including about 200 people outside the Lucas County Republican Party dinner on March 14.

Ramaswamy’s platform includes reducing regulations in Ohio, eliminating the state’s income tax, expanding school vouchers and merit-based pay for teachers.

McCabe said the profits from the dinner will go toward remodeling work at party headquarters in Boardman, including new floors and lighting.