Vivek Ramaswamy, the multi-millionaire biotech entrepreneur and self-described intellectual godfather of the anti-Jagran movement, announced on Tuesday that he is running for the presidency.
“We are in the midst of a national identity crisis,” he declared in an online video launching his campaign, offering that the current political climate constituted a form of “psychological slavery”.
Speaking directly to the camera, with an American flag draped in the background and a flag pin on his lapel, Ramaswamy framed his campaign as a sweeping counter-offensive that he called “the left rising” – calling it open speech. The free exchange of ideas and American exceptionalism itself.
Ramaswamy is the third high-profile candidate to announce for the presidency in 2024. Although he filed forms with the FEC announcing he would run on the Republican side of the aisle, his announcement video made no mention of the party itself — a sign that he hopes to push his candidacy outside the traditional political framework.
He has already barnstormed early nominating states, including Iowa, where he was well received, even as some of the state’s political veterans claimed not to be familiar with the planks he was running on. Were staying
Ramaswamy made his fortune in biotech investments, but he is best known for his appearances on Fox News and the New York Times bestselling book he wrote.
While his chances of securing the nomination are certainly long, Ramaswamy’s entry into the contest was greeted with the traditional glee of opposition Democrats. Shortly after appearing on Fox News to elaborate on his decision to run, the Democratic National Committee sent out a statement.
“As Vivek Ramaswamy uses Tucker Carlson’s show to announce his campaign for president, one thing is clear: The race for Maga Base is getting messier and more crowded by the day,” it read. “Over the next few months, Republicans are guaranteed to take extremely extreme positions on everything from banning abortion to cutting Social Security and Medicare, and we look forward to making sure every American knows how much the MAGA agenda is Extreme.”