Biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy was the last of the four presidential hopefuls to address the California Republican Party convention this weekend, where he sought to position himself as the outsider in the campaign.
Though on Saturday afternoon, the day after the other three candidates spoke, Ramaswamy’s event drew a sizable crowd, one that gave him a standing ovation as he entered the ballroom to the tune of “Thunder” by Imagine Dragons and appeared to increasingly warm to him throughout the course of his 30-minute speech.
Visiting the Anaheim Marriott yesterday was former President Donald Trump — who drew the loudest, largest crowd — South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Speaking to reporters Saturday afternoon, Ramaswamy said California’s policies, as well as the Biden administration’s, have been a “disaster.” But he said he opted against referencing either in his speech to California Republicans at the convention because that would not “win us this election.”
“I mentioned neither Biden nor California in that speech because, as I said, I am leading us to something,” said Ramaswamy. “I’m done with the silly slogans just bashing Biden; there’s plenty of bashing for him. … We’re going to (win) by offering an actual, alternative vision of our own.”
During his speech, Ramaswamy, who has aligned himself with Trump throughout his campaign, mostly stuck to the rhetoric he’s often given on the campaign trail.
“We’re in the middle of a cultural civil war right now,” said Ramaswamy. “The culture of fear has displaced our culture of free speech in America.”
Attendees at the lunchtime event — which cost $175 for general admission and $225 for preferred seating — were decked out in patriotic gear with noticeably fewer Trump-themed accessories than the day prior. Some people had American flags draped over their shoulders, and many wore different shades of red and blue. One person donned a white denim jacket with “Ultra MAGA” written in red on the back, bedazzled with red, white and blue spangles and rhinestones.
Saturday’s audience, similar to Friday’s, got animated by the mention of parental rights in education. When Ramaswamy said, “Parents determine the education of their children,” as he rattled off a list of ideals on which he is basing his campaign, the crowd loudly cheered.
Ramaswamy also drew big applause when he expressed distaste for the current political climate, which he said shows more concern for Ukraine than the southern border.
“It takes a leader from a different generation who is uncaptured by the system that exists,” Ramaswamy, 38, said.
Ramaswamy’s willingness to differ from longtime politicians is what draws her to his message, said convention attendee Nimpa Akana.
“I’m happy that he is setting an example for the next generation,” she said. “My son’s 10 years younger than him, but I want something inspirational for him too.”
Ana Maria McKay from San Diego said Ramaswamy’s youth could rejuvenate the Republican Party.
“I’m getting tired of seeing candidates that are older and that sometimes are already within the establishment and stick to that and follow those rules,” McKay said. “Whereas Vivek, I think he would think outside the box and bring in some fresh ideas.”
But Diana MarJip-Chuh, in Anaheim from San Diego County, said she is a Trump supporter but see Ramaswamy as the future of the Republican Party.
“I’m definitely a Trumper, and I’ll definitely vote for Trump, but I look forward to Vivek maturing more and being ready in 2028,” MarJip-Chuh said.
Ramaswamy said the debate about the government shutdown — lawmakers in Washington, D.C., scrambled to pass a spending plan before a midnight deadline — is a “deflection” from more important problems, though he didn’t go into specifics.
“We need to stop the artificial debate about fake government shutdowns and start having a real debate on how to achieve a true shutdown of the administrative state,” he said.
How he will do that is to enact zero-based budgeting for the federal budget, which he described as starting a new budget from scratch without relying on the previous one.
Ramaswamy was the final presidential candidate to speak over the weekend. A recent Public Policy Institute survey of likely California Republican voters found Ramaswamy polling far below Trump and DeSantis. Of those surveyed, just 4% said they would vote for Ramaswamy if the primary were held now compared to 48% for Trump.
Denial of responsibility! My Droll is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
