Vivek Ramaswamy enters the 2024 US Presidential race as a Republican candidate, following a challenging performance in Iowa, according to his spokesperson quoted by AFP.
Vivek Ramaswamy Campaign 2024
In the 2024 US Presidential Elections, Vivek Ramaswamy, 38, declared his Republican candidacy following a less-than-ideal performance in Iowa. Despite his initial bid, he decided to suspend the campaign and back his rival, former President Donald Trump.
Ramaswamy, who once praised Trump as the ‘best president of the 21st century,’ aimed to convince Republican voters to choose ‘fresh legs’ to elevate the ‘America First’ agenda. Taking cues from Trump, the wealthy political outsider adopted a fast-talking, headline-grabbing approach, mirroring the former president’s populist style.
Vivek Ramaswamy Exits Presidential Race
- Vivek Ramaswamy acknowledged the lack of a viable path to the presidency and decided to withdraw from the race after the Iowa vote.
- During his announcement, Ramaswamy revealed he had spoken to Donald Trump and intended to actively campaign for the former president.
- Ramaswamy finished fourth in Iowa, where Trump secured a significant lead, with Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley following in second and third places.
- He pledged his full endorsement for Trump’s presidential bid and expressed his commitment to advancing the “America First” movement.
- The Harvard and Yale-educated businessman, son of Indian immigrants, entered politics after a successful career in the pharmaceutical industry.
- Despite his outsider status and controversial positions, including endorsing conspiracy theories, Ramaswamy failed to gain significant support.
- His policy proposals included ending birthright citizenship, affirmative action, and closing government agencies such as the Education Department, FBI, and IRS.
- Trump had previously praised Ramaswamy but later criticized him, labeling him a “fraud” and warning Republicans that supporting him would benefit the “other side.”
Vivek Ramaswamy Campaign Trail
- January 10, 2024: Touring Central Iowa
- Ramaswamy campaigned in Winterset, Indianola, Waukee, Marshalltown, and Des Moines, Iowa.
- Notably, in Des Moines, he attended a rally at the state capitol protesting eminent domain for carbon capture pipelines.
- January 11, 2024: Extensive Campaign Trail
- Ramaswamy covered a broad range of cities, including Davenport, Maquoketa, Fort Madison, Dubuque, Burlington, Cedar Rapids, Fairfield, Cedar Falls, Grundy Center, and Clive, Iowa.
- January 12, 2024: Campaigning Across Iowa
- Ramaswamy visited Hubbard, Fort Dodge, Council Bluffs, and West Des Moines, Iowa, as part of his ongoing campaign.
- January 13, 2024: Visits to Northwest Iowa
- Ramaswamy focused his campaign efforts in Spencer, Okoboji, Rock Rapids, Orange City, and Sioux City, Iowa.
- January 14, 2024: Campaign Stops in Various Cities
- Ramaswamy conducted campaign events in Ankeny, Ames, Coralville, Davenport, and Dubuque, Iowa.
Iowa caucuses 2024 Campaign Finance
In the October 2023 quarterly campaign finance reports, notable Republican primary candidates’ overall fundraising is outlined. The data includes figures for candidates declaring before the recent reporting deadline and specifically focuses on principal campaign committees, excluding any candidate-affiliated PACs.
The reporting starts at the point where the Federal Election Commission (FEC) designates the committee as a principal campaign finance committee for a presidential candidate.
In terms of financial terminology, “Receipts” encompass all inflows into a campaign account, covering individual contributions, dividends, or interest on campaign-related loans or investments, transfers from other political committees, and offsets to campaign expenditures like rebates or refunds.
“Contributions” represent individual donations, while “Disbursements” refer to campaign spending, encompassing various expenses incurred throughout the election process.
Vivek Ramaswamy And Other Republican Fundraising
- Donald Trump
- Receipts: $60,523,078
- Contributions: $233,507
- Total Disbursements: $22,981,118
- Ron DeSantis
- Receipts: $31,272,333
- Contributions: $28,678,211
- Total Disbursements: $18,945,428
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- Vivek Ramaswamy
- Receipts: $26,596,944
- Contributions: $11,334,657
- Total Disbursements: $22,349,067
- Nikki Haley
- Receipts: $18,709,236
- Contributions: $14,134,820
- Total Disbursements: $7,157,544
- Doug Burgum
- Receipts: $15,179,666
- Contributions: $2,975,966
- Total Disbursements: $12,857,090
- Perry Johnson
- Receipts: $14,572,964
- Contributions: $2,039,207
- Total Disbursements: $13,445,215
- Tim Scott
- Receipts: $12,178,315
- Contributions: $10,787,666
- Total Disbursements: $20,626,614
Conclusion:
Vivek Ramaswamy’s 2024 U.S. presidential campaign faced challenges, leading to his withdrawal after the Iowa vote. Despite initially endorsing Donald Trump and adopting a populist approach, Ramaswamy struggled to gain significant support.
His campaign events across Iowa and policy proposals, including ending birthright citizenship, were notable but did not translate into strong momentum.
The financial overview revealed Trump as the frontrunner in fundraising, overshadowing Ramaswamy’s contributions. Ultimately, his decision to suspend the campaign and endorse Trump underscores the competitive dynamics within the Republican primary.
