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Vivek Ramaswamy drops presidential bid after poor showing in Iowa

The biotech entrepreneur endorsed former President Donald Trump on Monday night.
Vivek Ramaswamy drops presidential bid after poor showing in Iowa
Posted at 9:30 PM, Jan 15, 2024
and last updated 2024-01-15 23:59:31-05

On the heels of a fourth-place finish in Iowa, Vivek Ramaswamy announced he is dropping his bid for the GOP presidential nomination. 

"We did not achieve the surprise we wanted to deliver," Ramaswamy told a crowd of supporters in Iowa on Monday night. 

The biotech entrepreneur endorsed former President Donald Trump, who won the Iowa caucuses. 

Ramaswamy said he would likely be appearing with Trump at a campaign event in New Hampshire on Tuesday. 

"We're going to do our part to save this country," Ramaswamy said. 

The 38-year-old joined the race in February 2023. He attempted to appeal to a younger generation of voters who liked Trump's policies but wanted another option. 

Ramaswamy rose in the polls, garnering more support than more seasoned politicians like former Vice President Mike Pence and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. 

He continued to make headlines after participating in the GOP debates, often clashing with the likes of Nikki Haley and Christie. 

Those clashes, however, may have contributed to Ramaswamy's low favorability ratings. 

There were signs that Ramaswamy's campaign may be in trouble before Monday night. The Associated Press reported that the GOP candidate said in November that he planned to spend $8 million on advertising in Iowa. However. he reportedly ended up only spending several thousand dollars on TV ads as of early January. 

SEE MORE: Trump wins Iowa caucuses as weather depresses turnout


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