From left, Betsy Cook and Mark VanZanten share their concerns with gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy Friday evening in Marietta. (Photo by Gwen Sour)

MARIETTA – Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy stepped outside a private campaign dinner Friday evening to engage with a small group of protesters from Living Democracy and Indivisible MOV, who gathered to raise concerns about education, health care and access to public services.

Ramaswamy, who arrived at the venue ahead of the event, approached the demonstrators — including Betsy Cook and Mark VanZanten of Living Democracy and members of Indivisible Mid-Ohio Valley — and spoke with them for several minutes before heading inside.

Cook and VanZanten said they were surprised when Ramaswamy walked over.

“He was pulling into the event, and then he just saw us out here, and he wanted to come and say, ‘Hey, what’s up?'” VanZanten said.

The group questioned him on issues including immigration enforcement, rural health care access and public education. Several expressed disagreement with his stances on health services.

Indivisible MOV members set up for a joint food drive and protest on Friday evening. (Photo by Gwen Sour)

“We differ on health care because he, you know, does not support the kind of health care that we’re talking about,” Cook said.

Ramaswamy emphasized affordability, education reforms and energy development as his priorities in the race.

“I want to make life more affordable. I want to improve the quality of education in our public schools,” he told the group.

He also reiterated support for school choice while noting that rural counties like Noble often have no alternative schools available.

Cook, an activist and retired teacher, asked about classroom standards, prompting Ramaswamy to defend proposals such as a third-grade reading guarantee and requiring students to pass the same civics test given to naturalized citizens.

The conversation also touched on women’s health. Cook pointed to Planned Parenthood’s role in rural health access.

Ramaswamy replied that the issue was an area “where we have a difference of opinion,” but noted his professional background in developing medicines for women’s health conditions.

Throughout the exchange, Ramaswamy stressed his willingness to talk with voters who disagree with him.

“All I’ll ask you to do is keep an open mind,” he told the group. “Not everyone is what somebody in the media told you they were, and that goes in both directions… If you do get in, we are in this to lead not just the people who agree with us, but the people who don’t.”

He added, “We support equally those who donate to me or vote for me equally to those who don’t. We’re just one Ohio mentality.”

Members of Indivisible MOV were also at the site collecting food donations as part of an ongoing series of community drives. Kim Van Rijn, a co-leader of the group’s action team, said local food pantries have been overwhelmed.

“We talked to the United Way… and it all got cleared out in one day,” she said. “There’s still need. There’s plenty of need.”

Ramaswamy has visited Southeast Ohio several times on the campaign trail. Before arriving in Marietta on Friday, he toured a coal mine in Noble County and met with local supporters. He said he views the region as an important — and long-overlooked — economic asset for the state.

“I’m here to continue to listen to voters… folks in there who are my supporters, but also folks out here who have a different point of view,” he said. “One of the things I like to do is to listen to those who also disagree with us.”

Gwen Sour can be reached at gsour@newsandsentinel.com