Staff Reports
In a surprising turn of events, biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy has seen a significant boost in fundraising following the first Republican presidential debate in Wisconsin. Since the debate, Ramaswamy has raked in an impressive $450,000, with an average donation of $38. His spokeswoman, Tricia McLaughlin, shared these numbers with The Associated Press on August 24th.
While many had anticipated Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to steal the show in the absence of former President Donald Trump, it was Ramaswamy who captured the spotlight. In fact, according to a Drudge Report poll, Ramaswamy emerged as the winner of the debate, securing 34 percent of the votes. Trailing behind him were former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley with 23 percent, DeSantis with 18 percent, and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie with 16 percent.
Another poll conducted by the Daily Mail, which surveyed 504 Republicans, further solidified Ramaswamy’s strong performance. Twenty-eight percent of respondents believed he had the best debate showing, closely followed by DeSantis at 27 percent. Former Vice President Mike Pence secured 13 percent, Senator Tim Scott received 8 percent, and Haley garnered 7 percent.
Ramaswamy’s highlight of the debate came when he raised the issue of fatherlessness in the United States, earning him widespread praise. He called attention to the federal government’s incentivization of single parenthood, asserting that this contributes to the epidemic of absent fathers. Ramaswamy contended that a strong nuclear family is paramount to a child’s education and fundamental to good governance—an argument that struck a chord with conservatives.
At X, better known as Twitter, Representative Lauren Boebert commended Ramaswamy’s stance on climate change, stating, “He is right—more people are dying from climate change policies than from climate change itself.” Boebert’s endorsement further solidifies Ramaswamy’s position within the conservative movement.
In an unexpected show of support, former President Donald Trump took to his newly created social media platform, Truth Social, to share a video clip of Ramaswamy’s debate statements. Trump lauded the entrepreneur, stating, “This answer gave Vivek Ramaswamy a big WIN in the debate because of a thing called TRUTH. Thank you, Vivek!” Trump’s endorsement will undoubtedly help Ramaswamy gain even more traction among conservatives.
Although Ramaswamy faced some contention during the debate, particularly regarding his position on the Ukraine war, he held his own against fellow candidate Nikki Haley. Ramaswamy argued that the United States’ priority should lie with countering Communist China rather than getting involved in Ukraine’s conflict with Russia. Despite Haley’s criticism, Ramaswamy’s foreign policy stance resonated with many Americans concerned about China’s growing influence.
Political newcomer Ramaswamy’s fundraising success is not new. In the second quarter, his campaign raised an impressive $7.7 million, leaving him with $9 million cash on hand. While Trump still leads the pack with 51 percent support among likely voters, Ramaswamy’s strong showing in the polls, combined with his fundraising prowess, demonstrates that he is a force to be reckoned with in the Republican race. With his unique perspectives and captivating debate performance, Ramaswamy is certainly a candidate worth keeping an eye on.
