Vivek Ramaswamy drops out of presidential race, endorses Trump

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Entrepreneur and political novice Vivek Ramaswamy withdrew from the 2024 Republican presidential race following a disappointing fourth-place finish in the Iowa caucuses.

Ramaswamy’s decision: On Monday, Ramaswamy said he made the decision after acknowledging that there was no viable path for him in the race. Instead, the 38-year-old entrepreneur immediately endorsed former President Donald Trump, praising him as the best president of the 21st century.

Despite campaigning in all 99 counties of Iowa, Ramaswamy only secured 8% of votes on Monday, behind Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (21%), former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (19%) and Trump (51%).

What’s next?: Without him in the race, Trump is expected to gain the majority of support from Ramaswamy’s backers. According to a FiveThirtyEight analysis, 42% of Ramaswamy supporters nationally view Trump as their second choice, while 29% expressed a preference for DeSantis and 17% leaned towards Haley.

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Despite leaving the race, Ramaswamy expressed his commitment to the America First movement. He is also open to vice presidential consideration, emphasizing his commitment to truth and his unconventional approach to politics.

Ramaswamy’s play: Ramaswamy initially aligned closely with Trump, pledging unwavering support and making bold policy proposals, but he faced a sudden turn of events as Trump's campaign labeled him a fraud. Ramaswamy embraced conspiracy theories, apocalyptic views and racist notions, causing a shift in public opinion. His isolationist foreign policy and unconventional proposals, such as eliminating government departments and cutting the federal workforce, garnered both support and criticism. Despite an early surge in polls, Ramaswamy's controversial statements and clashes with fellow candidates led to a decline in his popularity.

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