While defending Trump, Ramaswamy insists he will be more electable in the fall
In northwestern Iowa on Monday, Vivek Ramaswamy unsolicited raised a question that has dogged him throughout his presidential bid: Why should voters choose him over Donald J. Trump, the former president he routinely and steadfastly defends?
Rather than breaking with Mr. Trump, who has a 50-point or more lead over Mr. Ramaswamy in national polls, voters who support Mr. Ramaswamy’s proposals have often acknowledged that he is aligned with the Mr Trump. Many are instead suggesting that Mr. Ramaswamy would make a strong vice president or future president.
With less than a week to go until the Iowa caucuses, and with him polling a distant fourth in the state, Mr. Ramaswamy has addressed these concerns without wavering in his support for Mr. Trump.
“If you think they’re going to let this man anywhere near the White House again, I want you to open your eyes,” Mr. Ramaswamy told about two dozen voters in Le Mars, Iowa. (In recent weeks he has relied on conspiracy theories during his campaign.)
On Monday, he branded the criminal charges Trump is facing as “unconstitutional and disgusting,” but indirectly suggested he would be more electable because the “system” would prevent Mr. Trump from reaching the White House.
“I respected him more than any other candidate in this race because it was the right thing to do,” Mr. Ramaswamy said. “He was a good president for this country. But our movement cannot end with him.”
Mr Ramaswamy has often praised the former president and promised to pardon him if convicted rare praise of Mr. Trump during his campaign. But in recent months he has tried to position himself as younger and less controversial than the former president, whom he has described as “wounded.” in a recent interview with NBC News and The Des Moines Register.
“You have the future of ‘America First’ right here, new legs to lead us to victory in this war,” he said, suggesting he would use his knowledge of the law to go further than Mr. Trump did in implementing popular conservative policies.
Elaine Tillman, 68, arrived at Mr.’s event undecided. Ramaswamy at the Pizza Ranch in Le Mars, with plans to attend a Trump rally on Saturday. But after hearing Mr Ramaswamy speak, she said she planned to organize a rally for him instead.
“I liked everything he did, all I know is that there will be no peace for the next four years if the Democrats go against him,” Ms. Tillman said of Mr. Trump.
But convincing everyone who came out would prove a difficult task. Shawn Nissen, a 38-year-old construction worker from Jefferson, Iowa, said he braved the frigid weather to hear from Mr. Ramaswamy in person because he saw him aligned with Mr. Trump — whom he plans to to caucus.
“I just think he needs to finish what he started in 2016,” Mr. Nissen said of Mr. Trump. “But I want to hear what Vivek says, because even though I’m voting for Trump this year, we still have new elections in four years.”
As a snowstorm swept through Iowa, Mr. Ramaswamy was one of the few candidates to hit the road Monday afternoon, while others canceled planned events. He had four events planned Monday in northwest Iowa, where he was campaigning with Steve King, a former congressman for the region.
“If you can’t stand the snow, you’re not ready for Xi Jinping,” he told about 30 people in Sioux City.