Vivek Ramaswamy struggles to gain traction with Iowa Republicans as critics question his path ahead
Ten minutes before Vivek Ramaswamy was to take the stage in a dated casino hotel in western Iowa, no one was in the conference room except for two staffers from the Iowa GOP, which organized the event, and a group of journalists.
Guests started trickling in at the time the event was scheduled. By the time Ramaswamy began his remarks an hour later, there were about 60 people.
While Ramaswamy is packing his schedule with stops across Iowa, he has failed to move up in the 2024 Republican primary race and is increasingly at risk of becoming an afterthought. He is polling in the mid to high single digits and has left critics asking what his endgame is or if he is staying in the race only to boost former President Donald Trump.
Ramaswamy is falling behind just as the GOP campaign enters the critical final weeks before the Iowa caucuses on Jan. 15. After an earlier flurry of attention, the 38-year-old biotech entrepreneur and first-time political candidate is gaining more notice for his provocations in debates than for signs that his campaign is resonating with voters.
His skin is the wrong color to have any chance at a GOP candidacy.
It's possible that his intention is simply to build up enough name recognition to be an effective grifter.
That seems to be the main goal of top level Republicans today. They have access to the most gullible base of people in America, and they want whatever little remains in those people's pockets.
I think he's aiming for a job in Trump's cabinet. He has praised Trump and Trump has held back from attacking him.
Just when I think that well can't possibly give more, they manage to bleed those stones.
Then again, maybe that's why the various billionaires are starting to abandon them; must be tiring to carry a bunch of gullible, broke idiots.
He's also a Hindu, the Republicans aren't crazy about that either I bet
I am sad to say it, but I think Vivek is slowly coming to that same conclusion.
You see him try so hard to be an extreme candidate, but he doesn't hold a candle to Trump.
Or to the charismatic wet noodle that is Ron DeSantis.
Iowa is very white.
Correct
He's a shitty liar & no one wants him.
Also, he's basically the opposite of Mike Pence, but they have the exact same level of charisma.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
He is polling in the mid to high single digits and has left critics asking what his endgame is or if he is staying in the race only to boost former President Donald Trump.
After an earlier flurry of attention, the 38-year-old biotech entrepreneur and first-time political candidate is gaining more notice for his provocations in debates than for signs that his campaign is resonating with voters.
“If viability were the reason to stay in a race, he’s long since left that behind,” said David Kochel, a Republican strategist who advised Jeb Bush in his 2016 presidential bid.
Former Vice President Mike Pence and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott dropped out after running Iowa-focused campaigns that didn’t gain traction.
The next day, Ramaswamy attended a roundtable with Haley and DeSantis hosted by Bob Vander Plaats, an influential Iowa Christian activist.
Ron Bonjean, a GOP strategist and former top congressional aide, noted Ramaswamy has been trying to build off the momentum built in the first debate, when he grabbed the spotlight introducing himself as a skinny guy with a hard-to-pronounce name.
The original article contains 1,289 words, the summary contains 180 words. Saved 86%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!
He doesn't need an endgame. He has name recognition now, and he can ride the wingnut welfare circuit for as long as he likes.
Vivek is supporting Trump a lot so I get the critics here.