Indian-American entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy ended his surprise bid for the 2024 US Presidential race on Monday after a lackluster show at the Iowa Republican caucuses. He then threw his weight behind former President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign.
The 38-year-old political newcomer announced his exit in a speech in Des Moines, as per reports. “We did not achieve the upset we were hoping to see tonight,” Ramaswamy told supporters after securing only 7.7% votes in Iowa.
Meanwhile, Trump scored a thumping win in the first nominating contest, bolstering his position as the frontrunner for the Grand Old Party’s nomination.
Ramaswamy, a second-generation Indian immigrant born in Ohio, was relatively unknown in political circles before announcing his candidacy last February. His fiery rhetoric on immigration control and nationalism attracted many conservatives.
Vivek Ramaswamy, a multi-millionaire former biotech executive, ended his White House bid on Monday (15th January) and endorsed Donald Trump after his longshot bid caught attention but failed to catapult him high enough in the Republican Party's first nominating contest in Iowa.… pic.twitter.com/GYWkIDJyJ1
— ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2024
Through his campaign, the Harvard alumnus attempted to woo Trump’s traditional voter base by echoing the former President’s hardline views. However, Trump lashed out at Ramaswamy in the closing stages of campaigning, terming him a “major fraud” which dented his prospects.
The millionaire businessman shot into the limelight after authoring the book “Woke, Inc” in 2021, slamming woke capitalism. During the debates, fellow Republicans like Nikki Haley mocked his political inexperience and grasp over key issues.
With his campaign failing to take off, Ramaswamy has now thrown his weight behind Trump, seen by many as the presumptive Republican nominee for 2024. The GOP is rallying behind Trump although he still faces a slew of legal probes over his conduct in office.
