Vivek Ramaswamy drops bid for presidency : NPR

Vivek Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur and creator of “Woke, Inc.”, introduced Monday evening he’s suspending his presidential marketing campaign.

“We didn’t obtain the shock that we wished to ship tonight,” he stated.

Ramaswamy, who predicted to Axios in October a “stable second or third” end within the Iowa caucuses, got here in fourth within the first presidential contest. Former President Donald Trump dominated the caucuses. Ramaswamy has endorsed Trump for the nomination.

On the marketing campaign path, Ramaswamy tried to emphasise “America First” insurance policies, a stance that has confirmed in style with supporters of Trump.

“I would not name myself a disciple of Donald Trump,” Ramaswamy instructed NPR final Might. “I’d embrace the label of ‘America First’ to level out that ‘America first’ is greater than Donald Trump. It doesn’t belong to Donald Trump.”

Ramaswamy stated his marketing campaign was centered on bringing again a way of nationwide id.

“I am a necessity in our nation and a job that must be achieved that I see only a few folks stepping as much as truly ship, which is to reply what it even means to be an American right this moment — to revive our lacking nationwide id, particularly within the subsequent technology of Individuals,” he stated.

His coverage proposals ranged from slicing the Federal Reserve workforce by no less than 90%, deporting American-born kids of undocumented immigrants, and elevating the voting age to 25.

As a vocal member of the “anti-woke” motion, the previous entrepreneur claimed his presidency would combat towards “woke” insurance policies.

However his marketing campaign was additionally marked by his amplification of conspiracy theories — together with that the Jan. 6 riot on the U.S. Capitol was an “inside job”, the 2020 election was stolen, and his feedback that the “Nice Substitute principle,” which has origins in white supremacist ideology, is a part of the Democratic Social gathering’s platform.

His persona additionally drew criticism from his rivals. Throughout a GOP debate, former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley referred to as Ramaswamy “scum” after he commented on Haley’s parenting and introduced up her daughter. Haley additionally attacked Ramaswamy for his place on the battle in Ukraine, saying, “You haven’t any international coverage expertise and it exhibits.”

In one other debate, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie referred to as Ramaswamy “probably the most obnoxious blowhard in America.”

Earlier than venturing into politics, Ramaswamy based his biotech and pharmaceutical firm, Roivant Sciences Ltd. In 2022, he based Try Asset Administration, an “anti-woke” index fund supplier.