Tech entrepreneur and political newcomer in the US Vivek Ramaswamy put up a tough fight during the inaugural debate for the 2024 Republican presidential candidates. The debate featured a total of eight contenders, each trying to position themselves ahead in the race, reported news agency Reuters. Leading contender and former US President Donald Trump, however, chose to skip the event.
The two-hour-long debate preceded the first Republican presidential nominating tie in Iowa by five months and over 14 months before the election.
Though Ron DeSantis, the Governor of Florida, consistently occupies the second position in polls, albeit far behind Trump, it was the 38-year-old Vivek Ramaswamy who stole the spotlight during numerous compelling moments in the Fox News debate.
Ramaswamy, known for his strong support for Trump, has been gaining momentum in national polls, which led him to face considerable criticism from his more experienced opponents. These rivals seemingly perceived him as a greater threat than DeSantis and did not hesitate to challenge him on various fronts.
Former Vice President Mike Pence argued, "We shouldn't entrust the presidency to a novice," while Chris Christie, former Governor of New Jersey, likened Ramaswamy's speeches to "ChatGPT" content.
Responding to the attacks, Ramaswamy highlighted his "outsider" status, labelling his fellow contenders as "influenced by vested interests". He went on to accuse DeSantis of being a "puppet controlled by super PACs," alluding to independent political action committees that can raise substantial funds from corporations and individuals.
On the topic of the Ukraine-Russia war, Ramaswamy adopted a particularly isolationist stance, suggesting that the matter wasn't a priority for the United States and expressing his intent to cease military assistance to Ukraine. This perspective garnered a sharp counter from Nikki Haley, a former United Nations ambassador.
For DeSantis, the debate presented a crucial moment as his campaign has been marred by internal disputes and a gradual decline in polling numbers.
In contrast, Trump, despite facing multiple criminal indictments, continues to be the favoured choice among Republican voters. Despite this, he chose to forgo the debate and instead engaged in a friendly interview with conservative commentator Tucker Carlson, which was streamed online just moments before the debate commenced. This 46-minute interview, recorded earlier, amassed approximately 74 million views on the X platform (formerly known as Twitter).