Key facts
- The 38-year-old billionaire is running as an outsider candidate and the most outspoken supporter of Trump in the field.
- Ramaswamy has clashed with other candidates, most notably Nikki Haley.
- He is currently polling fourth among Republican presidential contenders.
In a large field of Republican presidential hopefuls, the billionaire outsider candidate has distinguished himself from a group of longtime politicians with his brash, opinionated style and anti-establishment stances.
No, it’s not 2016, and we’re not talking about THAT billionaire outsider. Donald Trump is still very much in the race for president in 2024, but one of the breakout stars of the Republican primary campaign has been Vivek Ramaswamy, who was a virtual unknown before the campaign began.
Where Did He Come From
Ramaswamy was born in Cincinnati, to Indian Hindu immigrant parents. He was educated at a private Jesuit school, then went on to Harvard undergrad and Yale Law. He created and sold a company that matched college students with business ideas to venture capital, then he started a company called Roivant Sciences, which made him a billionaire. The company took advantage of market inefficiencies in pharmaceutical development, buying up patents for drugs that hadn’t been developed and bringing them to market. He stepped down as CEO to focus on running for president.
Not Your Typical Candidate
A reason why Ramaswamy may be an attractive option in political betting sites is that his background as a business owner differentiates him from the pack of politicians he’s running against, including current and former governors Ron Desantis, Chris Christie, and Nikki Haley.
He also touts his age, just 38 years old, as a big difference between himself and the rest of the field, claiming that it’s time to let someone with “fresh legs” from the next generation run things. He earned attention for rapping to Eminem’s Lose Yourself while on stage at a town hall event with the state governor in Iowa.
Despite his youth, he is not leaning on appealing to the young vote. In fact, he has proposed raising the minimum voting age to 25, unless they serve the country in the military or as a first responder or can pass a citizenship test.
That’s just one of several outsider views Ramaswamy has espoused, including cutting off all aid to Ukraine, laying off more than three-quarters of all federal government workers, and using the military to attack drug cartels.
Striking a Note
Ramaswamy has clashed with the more traditional Republican candidates, most notably Haley, during debates. He called her “Dick Cheney in three-inch heels” at one debate, to which Haley seemed to imply that she would use the shoes as a weapon against him.
He also wrote “Haley=corrupt” on his white board at another debate and displayed it, to which she responded, “It’s not worth my time to respond to him.” She’s also said, “Every time I hear you, I feel a little bit dumber,” in response to another Ramaswamy barb.
Ramaswamy clashed with CNN town hall host Kaitlan Collins and attacked Republican national chair Ronna McDaniel at a debate, leading to some observers questioning his treatment of women and branding his behavior as sexist. Ramaswamy, who has also been an outspoken critic of “woke” culture, has seemed to double down in the face of the criticism.
Who’s Not Here
One reason the door opened for Ramaswamy’s ascension is the absence of Republican frontrunner Donald Trump, who has chosen not to participate in the primary debates after building a substantial lead in the polls. Ramaswamy has, at times, almost served as a stand-in for the former president, promoting several similar-sounding ideas and praising Trump as one of our best presidents in history. Some have speculated that it may be setting the stage for a push to become vice president on the Trump ticket once the frontrunner’s nomination is secure.
What’s Next
Despite the attention, Ramaswamy is still in fourth place in Republican polling, behind Trump, Desantis, and Haley, with about 4% of the vote. His favorability numbers fell after his most recent two debate performances, and his poll numbers are flat at best, if not on the way down.
The goal of landing a vice-presidential spot also appears to be a long shot. It’s not clear what Ramaswamy would add to Trump’s base. The two candidates are similar enough that it’s unlikely adding him to the ticket would greatly expand the campaign’s reach. Trump would be better served finding someone who is stronger among demographics where he’s weak. Of course, it’s entirely possible Trump would choose to pick someone who thinks like him and has praised him, regardless of whether it’s a politically savvy move.
Ramaswamy appears to be likely to fill the role of Trump surrogate, acting as an attack dog to the top challengers of the former president in the debates, while Trump sits them out.
