Rifle-Toting Columbus Candidate Taunts Ramaswamy in Viral Clip

Casey Putsch, a Republican running for Ohio governor, is under fire after posting a video on X in which he appears with a rifle and taunts fellow GOP contender Vivek Ramaswamy. In the clip, Putsch asks, “Hey Vivek, you want to play Cowboys versus Indians?” then fires three shots and adds, “Don’t worry, it’s feather, not dot,” language many critics saw as mocking Ramaswamy’s South Asian background. The backlash was swift and loud, and a Columbus venue quickly pulled the plug on a planned fundraiser.

According to News 5 Cleveland, Putsch posted the clip to X and can be heard firing the weapon three times. The outlet notes that the “dot” reference is widely understood to refer to a bindi, a forehead mark worn by some South Asian women. La Chatelaine, the Columbus-area bistro that had agreed to host a campaign event, apologized to customers and canceled the fundraiser after people raised concerns, the report says.

Scholars And Rivals Call It A Threat

Case Western Reserve University religion and philosophy professor Dr. Deepak Sarma told News 5 Cleveland, “One hundred percent, it’s a threat,” arguing that the clip promotes xenophobia rather than edgy humor. In the same interview, Putsch defended the post as a joke and said he was exercising his First and Second Amendment rights, a justification that has done little to cool the outrage.

Where This Fits In The Race

Putsch has already drawn attention in the race for his online attacks on Ramaswamy and inflammatory language, including calling him a “Hindu anchor baby,” according to Times of India. The latest episode lands with Ohio’s May 5 primary approaching and a crowded GOP field. Coverage of the contest has highlighted the big-money ad buys and the national attention the contest has attracted.

What To Watch Next

With the primary just weeks away, the clip is poised to become ready-made fodder for both opponents and allies as campaigns decide whether to amplify or condemn the stunt. For now, Putsch’s camp insists the posts are meant as humor. Critics counter that the video crosses a line from bad joke to clear threat, and the scrapped Columbus fundraiser is an early sign of how fast local hosts may retreat from this kind of campaign theater.