Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican presidential candidate, has decided to drop out of the 2024 race following disappointing results in the Iowa caucuses. Ramaswamy's decision to withdraw from the race follows his inability to capitalize on a promising beginning to his campaign in a state where he invested considerable resources and effort in the hopes of gaining momentum.
In the caucuses, which marked the first 2024 contest in the nation, the 38-year-old secured a distant fourth place. The top three positions were held by former President Donald Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley. Earlier in the night, Ramaswamy contacted Trump and officially endorsed the former president.
Ramaswamy Bites the Dust
"I think it is true that we did not achieve the surprise that we wanted to deliver tonight," he told supporters in Des Moines. "As of this moment we are going to suspend this presidential campaign ... there is no path for me to be the next president absent things we don't want to see in this country."
Ramaswamy also called up Trump on Monday night and endorsed him. He expressed the belief that an 'America First' candidate should be the one to secure victory in the White House.
"And earlier tonight, I called Donald Trump to tell him that I congratulate him on his victory. And now going forward, he will have my full endorsement for the presidency," Ramaswamy said.
In the last final of his campaign, Ramaswamy slammed the media for marginalizing his presence in the race.
On X, he shared a Fox News/Associated Press survey that presented respondents with only three Republican candidates to choose from: Trump, Haley, and DeSantis.
Tricia McLaughlin, Ramaswamy's spokeswoman, also called out The New York Times for featuring only Trump, Haley, and DeSantis on the newspaper's Iowa caucus results landing page.
However, when users clicked to view the full list of candidates, Ramaswamy's name was there.
"RIGGED," Ramaswamy wrote late Monday afternoon. "Fox & AP just sent a broad "voter attitudes" poll on the eve of the caucus, which they'll report on TV right before the Iowa caucus. It leaves one candidate off the list."
"Stick it to the media & shock the world at the Iowa caucus tonight," Ramaswamy told his Hawkeye State supporters.
However, With 95 percent of the votes counted, Ramaswamy secured only 7.7 percent of the vote.
End of the Road
Ramaswamy, previously a relatively unknown figure, catapulted to third place in national polls during the summer after announcing his presidential candidacy. This surge in popularity coincided with numerous appearances on cable news.
Ramaswamy infused millennial energy into the Republican race, showcasing his unconventional style by rapping to Eminem at the Iowa state fair and challenging anything he considered overly 'woke.' Despite this, he consistently expressed admiration for Trump, positioning himself as a next-generation choice within the MAGA movement.
His popularity, including in early-voting states such as Iowa and New Hampshire, has waned since that time. Trump maintained a substantial lead, and voters tended to lean toward candidates with more political experience, contributing to Ramaswamy's decline in support.
In the days preceding the Iowa caucuses, Trump advised supporters not to 'waste' their votes on Ramaswamy, even if they appreciated his message. However, during Trump's victory celebration on Monday night, he spoke positively about Ramaswamy.
"I also want to congratulate Vivek because he did one hell of a job. He came from zero ... that's an amazing job," Trump said.
