Vivek Ramaswamy and several other Republican candidates rode in a military tanker near the front of Circleville's Pumpkin Show parade, and now Pickaway County Democrats say one of their own candidates was denied a spot in the same event. Democratic congressional candidate Don Leonard says he was told he could not participate because late entries were not permitted, while Ramaswamy's campaign was allowed to join in. The dispute has already landed in front of the Ohio Attorney General's office.
According to ABC6 OnYourSide, Ramaswamy and the other Republican candidates rode in a military tanker that was the second participant in the parade, right behind the Circleville mayor. Democrats allege the Ramaswamy campaign was allowed to register after the deadline, while Leonard was turned away for trying to enter late, the station reports. Ramaswamy is running as the Republican gubernatorial candidate, and his appearance in the parade is disputed only insofar as Pickaway County Democrats say it shows unequal treatment — a claim the Pumpkin Show disputes.
Pumpkin Show Leadership Pushes Back
Marc Rogols, President and Chairman of the Circleville Pumpkin Show, told the station that all candidates who wanted to participate were allowed to. That statement sits at odds with the Democrats' account of Leonard's experience, and the organization has not yet reconciled the two versions publicly. Pumpkin Show attorney Mark Weaver said organizers are reviewing what happened; per the same account, he agreed that late applicants from either political party were allowed to participate and said the organization is trying to determine why Leonard was left out.
The Pumpkin Show's own published rules for 2026 lay out a specific process for political hopefuls. Per the event's parade entry application, candidates for political office are permitted to ride in the Friday night parade only, and must submit an application along with Declaration of Candidacy paperwork to the directors. The same document specifies that candidates may line up only after 7 p.m., may not walk through the parade route, and must remain in or on their vehicle throughout.
A Formal Complaint Follows the Parade
The dispute escalated before the parade controversy even fully played out in local media. According to the Circleville Herald, Pickaway County Democratic Party Chair Carolyn Loxley filed a complaint with the Ohio Attorney General's Charitable Law Section on October 27 concerning the Friday night parade. The Columbus Dispatch also reported that Pickaway County Democrats filed a complaint with the Ohio Attorney General's office, alleging that Ramaswamy appeared in the parade while Democratic candidates were not allowed to, according to The Columbus Dispatch.
It remains unclear what, if anything, the Attorney General's Charitable Law Section will do with the complaint. The full allegations behind it, along with any supporting records, have not been made public in the reporting reviewed so far.
Not the First Ohio Fair Fight Over Politics
Circleville's parade spat isn't the only recent flashpoint between Ohio political parties and local fair organizers. In a separate dispute, the Ashland County Fair Board removed the Ashland County Democratic Committee from the 2025 fair after complaints about political buttons and other materials displayed at its booth, Ashland Source reported. That standoff began in September 2025 and dragged on for more than a year before the Ashland County Sheriff's Office and the Democratic Committee reached a settlement over the committee's removal, according to Ashland Source. The committee's attorney told the outlet the Sheriff's Office is paying $30,000 as part of that settlement.
Whether the Circleville complaint follows a similar path toward a formal resolution is not yet known. For now, the Pumpkin Show's leadership says it is still trying to sort out exactly what happened on the parade route — and why one candidate ended up riding past the crowds while another was left on the sidelines.
