Indian-origin Vivek Ramaswamy announces candidacy for 2024 US presidential election
Indian-origin multi-millionaire biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy (37) formally announced that he will run for United States president in the 2024 election on Tuesday. The conservative politician's campaign is marked by his promise to "put merit back" and end the country's dependence on China. He said it is not merely a poll campaign, but a cultural movement to create a new American dream.
Why does this story matter?
- Ramaswamy is the second person from the Indian diaspora to enter the Republican Party's presidential primary, after Nikki Haley. Haley, a two-term former governor of South Carolina and a former US ambassador to the United Nations, announced her candidacy earlier this month.
- In the race, Ramaswamy and Haley will face former US president and fellow Republican Donald Trump.
'Wokeism' is a national threat: Ramaswamy
Ramaswamy announced his presidential bid on Tucker Carlson's prime-time show on Fox News. He said he is running to put America first and to rediscover what America is, citing a "national identity crisis" that has gripped the United States and created a political climate of "psychological slavery." He said the "woke left" was against free speech and the open exchange of ideas.
Diversity overly celebrated in US: Ramaswamy
Ramaswamy created presidential committee with FEC
On Tuesday, he filed his candidacy and created a presidential committee with the Federal Election Commission (FEC). Any individual raising or spending at least $5,000 for their presidential campaign needs to register with the FEC. He has also written two books—Nation of Victims: Identity Politics, the Death of Merit, and the Path Back to Excellence; and Woke, Inc.: Inside Corporate America's Social Justice Scam.
Billionaire Bill Ackman endorsed Ramaswamy
Ramaswamy has talked about topics ranging from illegal immigration and affirmative action to climate change. An endorsement from American billionaire Bill Ackman earlier catapulted him to prominence. His family is from Kerala, and he and his wife, Apoorva Tewari, are both Yale graduates.
