USA (Commonwealth Union)_ Indian-American entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, aged 38, has withdrawn from the US presidential race for the Republican White House nomination after securing a disappointing fourth place in the Iowa caucuses. Despite self-funding most of his campaign through his fortunes in the biotechnology industry, Ramaswamy’s bid was centered on the ‘America First’ platform championed by Donald Trump. According to media reports, he had hoped that Trump’s legal challenges might prompt the former president to exit the race, positioning himself as the logical choice for Trump’s supporters.
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Ramaswamy’s populist campaign, filled with conspiracy theories, initially propelled him to third place in opinion polls during the Republican primaries in August, trailing behind Trump and Florida Governor Ronald D. DeSantis. However, following the Iowa caucus results, Ramaswamy conceded and offered his full endorsement to Trump, who won a decisive victory with over 51% of the total votes. DeSantis and Nikki Haley, former governor of South Carolina, secured distant second and third places, respectively.
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Ramaswamy said, “As I have said since the beginning, there are two America First candidates in this race. And earlier tonight I called Donald Trump to tell him that I congratulate him on his victory and now going forward he will have my full endorsement for the president.” While DeSantis garnered around 21% of the votes, Haley secured 19%, a disappointing result for her given a recent surge in support after strong debate performances. Ramaswamy, who targeted Haley on social media, referring to her as a “puppet” and a Chinese stooge, criticized her daughter’s use of the Chinese-made app TikTok during a Republican debate.
Ohio-born Ramaswamy, born to parents from Southern India, advocated for significant staff reductions at federal agencies, the pardon of “non-violent” January 6, 2021, protestors, and the shutdown of federal agencies, including the FBI and the Department of Education. Out of the 40 delegates Iowa sends to the Republican National Convention, Trump is expected to secure at least 20, DeSantis 8, Haley 7, and Ramaswamy 3. To become the Republican White House nominee in July 2024, a candidate needs a total of 1,215 delegates.
