Vivek Ramaswamy, a 38-year-old Indian-American entrepreneur and political novice who quickly created a name for himself with aggressive policy proposals and an outsized sense of confidence, has withdrawn over of the campaign for the Republican presidential nomination after finishing fourth in the Iowa caucuses, news agency Reuters reported. He then backed former President Donald J. Trump for the presidency.
Speaking at Des Moines on Monday night, he stated: “We did not achieve the surprise that we wanted to deliver tonight," NYT reported.
Ramaswamy, who was virtually unknown in political circles when he entered the campaign in February 2023, managed to pique the interest and support of Republican voters with his strong views on immigration and an America-first attitude. In terms of tone and philosophy, his campaign plan closely paralleled that of former President Donald Trump. Ramaswamy attempted to draw into Trump's conservative base, which had pushed him to victory in prior elections.
On the same night, Trump won in Iowa, cementing his position as the Republican primary frontrunner.
Ramaswamy, an Ohio native born to Kerala immigrant parents, emerged as one of the surprising candidates in a Republican race still dominated by Trump's notoriety.
However, in the last days before the Iowa caucuses, Trump aggressively criticised Ramaswamy, labelling him a "fraud" on his social media platform Truth Social and claiming that voting for the Indian-American meant voting for the "other side."
Ramaswamy finished fourth in Iowa, with approximately 7.7% of the vote.
The Harvard-educated millionaire rose to fame in right-wing circles after publishing "Woke, Inc.," a blistering analysis of business decisions based on social justice and climate change concerns, in 2021.
During debates, Ramaswamy's fellow Republican presidential candidates frequently voiced dissatisfaction with him, notably former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, herself of Indian descent, who mocked him, stating, "Every time I hear you, I feel a little bit dumber."