In a few weeks, he went from unknown to the general public to figure on the right. Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, 38, stands out as the surprise of the Republican primaries. Like seven other candidates, he will participate this Wednesday, August 23 in the first televised debate of this election which begins in January 2024. Former President Donald Trump, big favorite in the primary, chose to stay away from the show. The opportunity for Vivek Ramaswamy to make his voice heard a little more.
In the space of six months, the businessman has succeeded in outclassing the tenors of the American right. He now prances in third place in voting intentions in the primary, still far behind Donald Trump, but very close to Ron DeSantis, Governor of Florida. This meteoric rise was made possible by an already well-honed strategy: that of the outsider.
Outsider
Vivek Ramaswamy has no political experience. Born in Cincinnati (Ohio), of Hindu faith, he graduated from the prestigious universities of Harvard and Yale. He then made a name for himself in the biotechnology world by founding the Roivant Sciences group. Today, Forbes estimated his fortune at more than $600 million.
Like Donald Trump in 2016 – which he is also careful not to criticize – Vivek Ramaswamy hopes to surf on the breath of fresh air he brings to the right. His story appeals to voters: the son of Indian immigrants, he became one of the richest men in the country, perfectly embodying the American dream. Elon Musk, boss of Tesla, describes him as a “very promising” candidate.
His energy and his youth are just as attractive. Vivek Ramaswamy stands out as an excellent orator, as incisive as he is confident. He does not hesitate to play the humor card, recalling for example his brief career as a rapper under the name of “Da Vek”, or by taking up Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” during a trip to the Iowa.
Anti woke
In terms of commitments, the one who announced his candidacy in February likes to present himself as a destroyer of wokism. He has also written several books on the subject. Another pet peeve: environmental activists, whom he considers “a religious sect”. He also proposes to dismantle certain public bodies such as the FBI, the IRS (the American tax services) or the CDC, which fights against epidemics. On taxation and immigration, he remains quite close to Donald Trump.
Despite his growing popularity, Vivek Ramaswamy should (a priori) not win, as the lead of the former president in the polls is considerable. But he has definitely managed to impose himself in the political landscape. Like him, seven other candidates will try to take second place: Ron DeSantis, Mike Pence, Chris Christie, Asa Hutchinson, Nikki Haley, Tim Scott and Doug Burgum. The winner of the Republican primaries will face the Democratic nominee on November 5, 2024.