Vivek Ramaswamy drops his Presidential candidature for the Republican Party, endorses Donald Trump for 2024 US elections

The former biotech businessman and multimillionaire, Vivek Ramaswamy, announced his withdrawal from the Republican Party’s first-ever presidential primary campaign in Iowa on Monday, endorsing Donald Trump in the process. The 38-year-old Ramaswamy, who was born in Ohio to immigrants from southern India, attracted notice for his unlikely run in the 2024 Republican primary but was unable to get past the first round of the GOP primary. (Photo credits by Getty Images)

With his youthful appearance, ample resources, and forceful campaigning approach, Ramaswamy – a steadfast supporter of Trump throughout the campaign – has probably established a position for himself in Republican politics. Ramaswamy’s hopes were, however, dashed by Trump’s last-minute critique, in which the former president called him a “fraud” and implied that endorsing Ramaswamy was tantamount to endorsing the “other side.”

According to preliminary statistics from the Iowa caucuses, Ramaswamy received around 7.7% of the vote, placing her in fourth position.

Known in right-wing circles for his 2021 bestseller “Woke, Inc.,” which criticizes corporate strategies centered around social justice and climate change, Ramaswamy attended Harvard and gained recognition for his aggressive debate style and deliberate use of media, especially social media. Buzz declined in the fall of the campaign because some voters were turned off by his aggressive style, even if it made headlines.

As of the closing of 2023, Ramaswamy’s national polling numbers among potential Republican primary voters lingered in the low single digits. His fellow Republican contenders were irritated with the newcomer throughout the debates; in one especially tense interaction, former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley vented her annoyance by remarking, “Every time I hear you, I feel a little bit dumber.”

Despite criticism, Ramaswamy did garner support, especially from the tech community and libertarian circles. Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla Inc., announced that he will be attending a fundraiser for Ramaswamy in the fall.

During the campaign, Ramaswamy, who is said to have been a libertarian during his studies, took up a few extremely conservative ideological stances. He called for the elimination of the FBI and the Department of Education, as well as a major increase of presidential powers. He also opposed affirmative action and supported state-level abortion prohibitions beyond six weeks.