Ramaswamy Rising: The Indian American Candidate is Likely to Qualify for the First Republican Primary Debate

Vivek Ramaswamy, the Indian American candidate seeking the Republican presidential nomination, is likely to qualify for the first primary debate in August, Politico reported. He appears to fulfill the new criteria announced by the Republican National Committee on Friday. The other Indian American candidate Nikki Haley, too, is likely to qualify.

Candidates will have to garner donations from at least 40,000 national contributors and poll consistently above 1 percent in three national polls or two national polls and a state poll, according to the RNC’s announcement. Candidates must secure donations with at least 200 unique donors per state or territory in 20+ states and/or territories.

The debates are the best platform for Ramaswamy to introduce himself to a national audience and bolster his largely self-funded campaign. He said he was willing to spend $100 million on his campaign. The entrepreneur and author is reportedly worth $600 million.

Politico reported that Ramaswamy has hit at least 1 percent in the last eight polls listed by RealClearPolitics (and 17 of the last 18). In a statement, Ramaswamy also claimed that he has reached 43,000 donors and crossed the debate threshold in May.

His upbeat message — “I will unapologetically embrace and advance the ideals that this nation was founded on” — is resonating with those who are tired of the doom and gloom rhetoric of the former president. 

Meanwhile, the former South Carolina governor Haley will have no trouble with the polling threshold, Politico reported. She has polled one percent or more in every one of the 50 national polls conducted this year. Her campaign also claimed that Haley has also met the fundraising target earlier this year.

Currently, former president Trump and Florida governor Ron DeSantis are the front runners in the polls. Nevertheless, Ramaswamy has the wind at his back. Apart from the two front runners, he is the only one who seems to find traction in the early primary states.

His media savvy seems to be paying off. He has been on every network and cable news channel, branching out beyond the conservative outlets. Displaying his confidence as a candidate he has even brought along his wife Apoorva (top photo) to a Sunday interview with Martha Raddatz on ABC This Week.  

As Politico says, “Vivek Ramaswamy will return your call. He’ll say “yes” to almost any interview request — no matter the outlet — and will linger long after scheduled events die down, autographing a piece of fruit or letting prospective supporters lay hands on his chest to cancel Satan’s plans.”

“It’s the most always-on, always-available strategy of the 2024 presidential race. And it appears to be working,” the report adds.

He is being increasingly seen by the rank and file who like the America First message of Trump but are concerned about the baggage he comes with. His upbeat message — “I will unapologetically embrace and advance the ideals that this nation was founded on” — is resonating with those who are tired of the doom and gloom rhetoric of the former president. 

However, as a Washington Post columnist wrote recently, “to complete his quest, Ramaswamy will have to do more than tap into Trumpian resentment … He must also defeat the master from whom he learned these tricks.” But the pundit agrees that “Ramaswamy knows the trick to winning Republican votes.”

How far will this momentum will last has to be seen. The primary debates will definitely help.