Vivek Ramaswamy Ends Bid for Presidency After Brutal Fourth Place Finish in Iowa: ‘There Is No Path for Me’
Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy suspended his campaign on Monday after coming fourth place in the Iowa caucuses.
During a speech to supporters, Ramaswamy said, “I think it is true that we did not achieve the surprise that we wanted to deliver tonight, and I think that that’s just a hard fact that we’re going to have to accept as a campaign. The question then is what do we do that is right for our country?”
Ramaswamy then announced, “As of this moment we are going to suspend this presidential campaign, and this is going to have to be. There is no path for me to be the next president, absent things that we don’t want to see happen in this country, and I think that I am very worried for our country. I think we are skating on thin ice as a nation.”
The Republican presidential candidate also revealed that he would be endorsing former President Donald Trump:
As I’ve said since the beginning, there are two America First candidates in this race, 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, and I think we’re going to do the right thing for this country And so I’m gonna ask you to follow me in taking our America First movement to the next level.
Ramaswamy came fourth place with just under 8% of the vote – more than 40% behind Trump, the overwhelming winner in Iowa with around 51% of the vote.
On Saturday, just days before the caucus, Trump turned on his ally and booster with some harsh words on Truth Social.
“Vivek started his campaign as a great supporter, ‘the best President in generations,’ etc. Unfortunately, now all he does is disguise his support in the form of deceitful campaign tricks,” wrote Trump. “Very sly, but a vote for Vivek is a vote for the ‘other side’ — don’t get duped by this. Vote for ‘TRUMP,’ don’t waste your vote! Vivek is not MAGA.”
In a follow-up post on Monday morning, Trump added, “A VOTE FOR VIVEK IS A WASTED VOTE. I LIKE VIVEK, BUT HE PLAYED IT TOO ‘CUTE’ WITH US.”
Ramaswamy responded with his own post warning supporters that a vote for Trump could be a “trap” which would allow “the puppet masters” to “quietly trot Nikki into power” as Trump’s VP.
Despite heavy opposition to the idea from many of Trump’s allies and supporters, the former president has refused to rule out Haley as his potential running mate.
Watch above via Fox News.
