Opinion | Vivek Ramaswamy will transform conservative politics in America

I first learned about Vivek Ramaswamy through conservative discussion forums, where I came across his book, “Woke, Inc.: Inside Corporate America’s Social Justice Scam.” I had plans to read this bestseller at some point. The book exposes the real agenda and money trail behind the political activism of businesses. In the meantime, his depth in various subjects, intelligence, and ability to articulate his thoughts logically left a strong impression on me. I have often wondered why there aren’t more individuals from the younger generation who share the conservative perspective, especially within immigrant communities like my own, who were raised with consistently conservative values and lifestyles.

American Bazaar Exclusive: We need an outsider in the White House: Vivek Ramaswamy (July 11, 2023)

To provide some context and historical background, within my Indian American community and other South Asian American groups, commonly known as Desis, the term “American Born Confused Desi (ABCD)” is frequently used by immigrant parents to describe the younger generation. I firmly believe that part of my conservative political mission is to assist these young individuals in overcoming their confusion and anchoring them in the common-sense conservative principles maintained by their parents. When these young adults are ready to embrace conservative values as the primary reason for their success and prosperity, the nation can return to its conservative and moral foundations.

When Vivek announced his intention to run for the presidency of the United States in February 2023, almost instantly, it filled me with hope. I believed that he might be the person who could one day lead our young generation out of their state of confusion and guide them toward embracing basic common sense, ultimately helping our country return to its founding ideals.

READ: Vivek Ramaswamy suspends campaign, endorses Trump (January 16, 2024)

Over the past several years, in my interactions within the Keralite community in the United States — like Vivek’s parents, I am an immigrant from the Indian state of Kerala — and the broader Indian American community, I have been actively seeking out authentic leadership potential among our young community members. As a community leader, I aim to provide them with hope, courage, and the belief that they could one day reach the highest levels of power in the United States. Despite our modest beginnings, we have arrived on the stage and are ready to tackle any challenge. My effort, in many ways, reflects my deep connection with the concepts I hold dear: the American Dream, American Exceptionalism, and those moments that make you say, “Only in America!”

READ: Donald Trump thinks Vivek Ramaswamy is “great” (September 1, 2023)

Vivek’s candidacy felt like a validation of my hopes and aspirations for the Indian American community. It reassured me that the values we immigrants uphold as a family and as a culture are indeed the original values that helped create this great nation. It also gave me confidence that the American Dream and the greatness of this country are not fading but making a strong comeback.

Vivek’s assessment of the various issues our nation faces and his revolutionary solutions closely mirrored my own thoughts as well, except with the added benefit of his fact-based reasoning. This alignment was a significant advantage in my mission to convert more confused and misinformed liberal minds in our community to the principles of common-sense conservatism. He seemed to be the person I had been searching for as the future leader of our nation.

I was also amazed Vivek’s decision to seek the nomination of the Republican party. It was a courageous move, considering his Hindu faith in the background of the evangelical Christian base of the Republican party. As a church-going Christian from the same land his parents came from, I decided that I, too, have a responsibility to help him, support him, and alleviate any doubts Christian Americans may have about his religion.

One might wonder why I switched from Trump to Vivek in the Republican primary.

Donald Trump’s imperfections are well-documented. I wholeheartedly supported him in 2016 or 2020, not because I was unaware of those imperfections but because my focus was on the country, not a single individual. Despite all his flaws, one fact remains evident: he was the first America First president since Ronald Reagan, who deeply loved this country and achieved a great deal for it. Trump’s penchant for drama and theatrics didn’t overshadow his genuine passion and impatience for producing tangible results. Despite constant attacks on his administration, including baseless claims of him colluding with Russia to win the 2016 election, two ridiculous impeachments, and the COVID-19 pandemic that came from China, he continued to deliver remarkable outcomes for this nation. His approach of leading from a position of strength on the world stage contributed to a period of relative peace without any new wars or conflicts.

Despite all the favorable facts about Trump, due to the liberal left’s “Trump Derangement Syndrome” and the Biden DOJ’s determined efforts to prevent him from returning to the White House, like millions of Trump supporters, I too found myself thinking about a potential Trump alternative; someone who shared Trump’s determination to push the America First agenda and drain the Washington swamp but was less susceptible to the establishment’s attacks. That’s when Vivek emerged as a promising figure on the horizon. Vivek embodied everything I was looking for in a leader, offering the potential to articulate the conservative agenda even more effectively than Trump while avoiding some of Trump’s liabilities.

With all of these thoughts in the background, I quickly became a supporter of Vivek. Having been a supporter of Donald Trump and his agenda since 2015, I saw Vivek as Trump 2.0, operating on “Make America Great Again” (“MAGA”) 2.0, a much-refined, bug-free, and reliable version of MAGA 1.0!

I was eager to work for Vivek’s campaign right away. However, I had recently taken over a cattle farm in Fort Myers, Florida, and was still getting accustomed to its operation, which prevented me from immediately joining the campaign trail. Nonetheless, I began collaborating with some campaign staff members early on to reach out to Indian American groups through various social media platforms.

With the Iowa caucuses, the first-in-the-nation Republican presidential nominating contest, just 45 days away, I could finally join the campaign as a volunteer on December 1. In the next six weeks, I made calls and knocked on thousands of Indian American doors in the Hawkeye State. It was encouraging to see that many long-term citizens who had been long-term Democrats were ready to switch their support to Vivek. However, many Indian Americans I encountered had never caucused before and had no understanding of how caucuses worked.

READ: Vivek Ramaswamy enters Republican race for White House (February 22, 2023)

While reaching out to Indian Americans based on their identity went against Vivek’s “no identity politics” policy, I recognized the power of identity politics and used it to some extent. Working in Iowa, where the immigrant population isn’t huge, was a challenge as a volunteer with limited resources. The extreme cold and heavy snow was another major hurdle. It was perhaps the coldest winter I’ve experienced in my 32 years in this country.

In the following weeks, I had the opportunity to interact with Vivek on multiple occasions. (I had previously met with him twice: first during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington last June, and then at the GOP presidential debate in Miami on November 9.) He doesn’t come across as a typical politician. He is genuine; he remembers our discussions and offers frank opinions without worrying about catering to the other side’s expectations. He expressed his gratitude and appreciation for my help, as I had traveled from Florida to Iowa to volunteer for his campaign. He was open to some of the ideas I shared with him.

As I campaigned for him, covering the length and breadth of Iowa, in addition to his grasp of issues, what struck me most was Vivek’s unwavering America First commitment, tireless work ethic, and remarkable energy. He started his day at 6 am and often didn’t finish until midnight. Witnessing his passion, dedication, and presence of mind, I became an even greater admirer of him.

READ: Vivek Ramaswamy: from suspected vanity campaigner to a contender (May 10, 2023)

Campaigning for Vivek also allowed me to meet and get to know his family members. I had been in touch with his parents before I went to Iowa. His father, V. Ganapathy Ramaswamy, graduated from the same Calicut University as me, and his mother, Geetha, hails from Tripoonithura, just a few miles away from my home in Kochi, on the southwestern coast of India. It was a pleasure to talk to them in Malayalam — the language spoken in Kerala — on the campaign trail. When observing the knowledge, wisdom, humility, and simplicity of this 38-year-old billionaire presidential candidate, there is no need to wonder where Vivek got these traits. Apple, indeed, does not fall far from the tree! My utmost respect to his beloved parents!

I was also impressed with Vivek’s wife, Apoorva, who ran an aggressive campaign schedule. Apoorva, a laryngologist, didn’t appear as a busy throat surgeon on the campaign trail. I met her, talked to her, and listened to her stump speech many times. In one event I attended, she spoke on behalf of Vivek, who could not arrive on time due to snow. That speech was terrific. Watching her handle even policy questions with ease, depth, and confidence was remarkable.

READ: Musk: Vivek Ramaswamy a ‘very promising candidate’ (August 18, 2023)

I observed them closely during all their joint appearances, and I must say, I am thoroughly impressed with Vivek and Apporva as a couple. Their sons, Karthik and Arjun, also accompanied their parents to many campaign events.

In the final week, I assisted the campaign with package deliveries to various precincts and helped set up events in several small towns in Iowa. On January 15, the day of the caucuses, I served as a Vivek speaker in two Johnson County precincts in the Cedar Rapids – Iowa City area. In one precinct, I was the first speaker representing the Vivek campaign. Following my speech, it was the Trump supporter’s turn to speak. He publicly agreed with my points and expressed his liking for Vivek. However, he emphasized that this time belonged to Trump. After his speech, he approached me privately and repeated the same sentiment, adding, “It is time for retribution,” with a smile on his face!

Trump won a decisive victory in the caucuses on January 15, securing a 30-point margin and gaining 20 delegates. In contrast, Vivek finished a fourth, trailing behind the former president, DeSantis, and Nikki Haley, and gained only three delegates.

READ: Vivek Ramaswamy advocates national holiday for single-day voting (August 9, 2023)

The Trump speaker who followed my speech at the Iowa precinct encapsulated Vivek’s most significant challenge in the 2024 cycle. While GOP voters in Iowa warmly received Vivek, he faced the daunting task of winning over voters loyal to Trump, the original America First candidate. The former president and Vivek had few policy differences. Indeed, during his campaign, Vivek consistently criticized the prosecution of Trump, who is currently facing 91 felony counts spread across four criminal cases and is embroiled in two civil suits that could result in significant financial consequences. During the GOP debates, Vivek vehemently asserted that Trump’s legal issues, which involved the FBI, the Department of Justice, and the court systems across America, amounted to nothing more than political persecution orchestrated by Biden and the Democratic Party against Trump.

Many Americans, and especially Trump’s supporters, strongly believe that President Biden, the Department of Justice, liberal Democrats, and the judicial system had conspired against Trump, weaponizing their positions to hinder his ability to govern freely during his presidency. Allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 election, subsequent Mueller probes, multiple impeachments, and the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic further solidified their determination to grant Trump another opportunity. As a result, many of them considered Vivek as their second choice. This dynamic highlighted the potential for a different outcome in the Iowa Caucuses had Trump not been on the ballot.

READ: Iowa Treasurer, Republican senator back Vivek Ramaswamy (August 21, 2023)

Vivek’s campaign also faced a setback as the premature dismissal by the media led some of his supporters to switch sides before the caucus date. Most polls in the last week did not even have his name listed as an option.

Vivek quickly grasped the people’s pulse and swiftly, forcefully, and resoundingly endorsed Trump. The following day, the former president allowed him to endorse him formally at a Trump rally in New Hampshire. Trump also invited Vivek to speak at his New Hampshire victory event, where Vivek delivered powerful critiques of the former president’s sole primary rival, Nikki Haley.

Despite his loss, Vivek’s candidacy achieved a great deal. As a natural leader with immense intelligence and a profound passion for our country, he demonstrated during the campaign that he is exceptionally qualified and well-suited to run for the highest office in the land. Above and beyond all that, various facets of Vivek’s identity and his spirited campaign played significant roles within immigrant communities across the nation and within the Republican party itself. While Vivek may have some awareness of this, the full extent of his impact extends far beyond what a typical native-born American can fully grasp.

READ: Vivek Ramaswamy slams Ann Coulter’s racist rant (August 25, 2023)

His candidacy has effectively challenged and dismantled many stereotypes, thereby opening the minds of millions of new immigrants in this country. This demographic represents one of the fastest-growing voting blocs, along with young Americans. That bodes well not only for America but also for the Republican party and indeed the entire world.

Knowledge of American history or the specifics of policy differences between the political parties typically isn’t the primary factor that new immigrants consider when getting involved in politics in their new country. This is especially true for new immigrants from non-white regions of the world where the majority religion is not Christianity and where Britain or another colonial power had colonized and ruled over their lands at some point in the past. These primary factors are much more fundamental than governing policies or political philosophies, and it’s essential to recognize and understand this when seeking to appeal to immigrant voters.

Immigrants often contemplate several fundamental questions when thinking about politics in their new country, and these questions can heavily influence their political affiliations:

These are the fundamental questions in the minds of immigrants when they first think about politics, whether we like it or not. Looking at these questions, we can all agree on one thing without getting into the details of reasoning and why and how such stereotypes persist. When answering these questions, Democrats have a massive advantage over Republicans in becoming the favorite party of a vast swath of immigrants. Many of those factors also contributed to my initial affinity for Democrats, which is why I can quickly relate to them. (I did not become a Republican until 2015. Before that, I even voted for Barack Obama in 2008. I’ll delve into that in more in another post.) Vivek’s campaign as a far-right and Trump-supporting America First conservative has had a profound impact on the minds of immigrants in general and Indian Americans in particular. And that is excellent news for the Republican party and the Trump movement.

Most immigrants to the United States recently come from non-white countries such as India, China, Mexico, and several Latin American and African nations. Many of them have experienced socialist-style big governments in their home countries, which often leads them to seek better economic opportunities in the U.S. These immigrants tend to be socially and fiscally conservative, hardworking, and strong proponents of meritocratic success. They are typically self-reliant and not dependent on welfare or big government. They are victims of socialism in the countries of their birth, though they may not be fully aware of that fact.

READ: Former Iowa Rep. Steve King endorses Vivek Ramaswamy (January 3, 2024)

Vivek’s presidential bid has played a significant role in making many immigrants, especially South Asian immigrants, feel more comfortable with the Republican party and the conservative movement. (I could also contribute to this in a limited way when I ran for the School Board in Fairfax County in 2019. More on that in another post.) Vivek has helped dispel doubts that minorities had about mostly white Republicans, as well as doubts about being a Hindu in the minds of Christian evangelicals in the American heartland. I see this change very clearly in my surroundings nowadays. Being a Republican in the Indian American community is nothing like it was when I first became a Republican in the mid-2010s. Likewise, the general Republican attitude of not actively seeking the votes of those who appear international or different has also evolved for the better. Republicans are no longer assuming that most people of color are automatically Democrats.

Vivek, as a Trump-supporting conservative, presents a significant opportunity for the Republican Party to attract immigrant communities. By establishing connections and emphasizing shared values, Republicans can build trust and gain support among these immigrant populations who may not be fully aware of how their conservative beliefs align with the party’s platform.

Representation matters, and Vivek’s campaign underscored this point. He became a symbol of Indian American representation on the national stage, and his run for the presidency broke barriers and challenged stereotypes. While some may argue that identity politics shouldn’t play a role in politics, the reality is that it does, especially for primarily nonwhite minority communities.

The Indian American community, which has grown significantly in numbers and political influence in recent years, seeks leaders who understand their unique experiences and challenges. Vivek’s candidacy offered a glimmer of hope for this community, demonstrating that they can aspire to positions of national prominence and influence from either of the two parties based on their true political beliefs and convictions.

Vivek Ramaswamy’s foray into conservative politics has been nothing short of remarkable. From his bestselling book, “Woke, Inc.,” to his presidential campaign, he has quickly become a rising star within the conservative movement. His ability to articulate conservative principles and engage with voters across the political spectrum has resonated with many.

While his 2024 presidential bid may not have resulted in victory in the Iowa Caucuses, it has laid the groundwork for a promising future in conservative politics. His impact on immigrant communities and his ability to challenge stereotypes within the Republican Party make him an asset for the conservative movement.

As Vivek continues his political journey, he has the potential to inspire a new generation of conservatives and bridge the gap between immigrant communities and the Republican Party. His dedication to common-sense conservatism and commitment to the values that make America exceptional make him a compelling figure in today’s political landscape.

In conclusion, Vivek Ramaswamy’s candidacy represents more than just a run for the presidency. It symbolized the changing landscape of American conservatism, the power of representation in politics, and the potential for new leaders to emerge and shape the conservative movement’s future. While his campaign faced challenges, it has left a lasting impact on the conservative movement and offers hope for the robust growth of conservatism among immigrant and minority communities.

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