Vivek Ramaswamy, a 38-year-old Republican candidate, announced the suspension of his campaign for the 2024 U.S. presidential race after a disappointing finish in Iowa. Ramaswamy, a wealthy political outsider, endorsed his rival, former President Donald Trump, whom he previously hailed as the “best president of the 21st century.”
In a statement, Ramaswamy acknowledged the lack of a viable path for his presidential bid, saying, “As of this moment, we are going to suspend this presidential campaign. There is no path for me to be the next president.” He also expressed congratulations to Trump, pledging his full endorsement for the presidency.
Despite facing legal troubles, Donald Trump secured a resounding victory in the first 2024 Republican presidential contest in Iowa. Trump, campaigning with a familiar populist style, thanked Iowa supporters on his social media platform, Truth Social, writing, “THANK YOU IOWA, I LOVE YOU ALL!!!”
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis secured a second-place finish in Iowa, narrowly surpassing former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley. With nearly 90% of the expected vote tallied, Trump led with 50.9%, followed by DeSantis at 21.4%, and Haley at 19.0%. It remained uncertain whether Trump would exceed the psychological figure of 50%, a factor that could further strengthen his position in the race.
Both DeSantis and Haley, vying to emerge as the chief alternative to Trump, had hoped for a strong second-place finish to maintain the viability of their challenges. Trump, however, maintained an air of inevitability around his campaign, skipping debates and minimizing traditional campaign efforts.
The outcome sets the stage for a competitive Republican nomination race as Trump seeks a rematch with Democratic President Joe Biden in the upcoming November elections.
